Dark Cloud 2: The Talismans of Time
by Gamerctm
Summary: PLZ R&R! Max and Monica have been apart for 5 months. But when Griffon's energy returns and grows stronger, they'll have to reunite and even team up with an unlikely hero. Chapter 10 is up!
1. Bitter Parting

Gamerctm here! The author of Samurai Pizza Cats: The Military Saga, Whose Line is it Anyway? Anime Craze, and Kirby's New Dreamland Adventures. I've been reading a lot of Dark Clouds fics at and I've been thinking, "Why not make a whole new story that happens after Dark Cloud 2?" So after weeks of idea developing and planning, I bring to you...  
  
Dark Cloud 2:  
The Talismans of Time  
  
If you thought that Max's and Monica's adventure would end with the defeat of Griffon, think again! Their new quest will plunge them deep into... action, adventure, danger, tragedy, romance, and humor! (It wouldn't be a Gamerctm fic without humor.) Anyway... I don't own Dark Cloud 2! SquareEnix and Level 5 own it. I don't own any Dark Cloud character, but I do own all the OCs in this fic and are automatically copyrighted to me. Any OC in this fic that you want to use in your own fic, please email me at and ask me first. I will more and likely say yes. Don't forget to review this fic. You can even AIM me if you want. Just look for Gamerctm. Hope you enjoy this fic!  
  
A lone wind blew though the battlefield of Dark Element. Standing and looking into each other's eyes were Max and Monica, who both knew this day would come...  
  
"I guess..." Max started to say with a quiet tone in his voice. "This is goodbye..."  
  
"Yeah..." Monica sadly said. "I wish I could stay. But..."  
  
"I understand. You need to be there for your kingdom. Your father is gone, so... it's up to you to take care of it."  
  
Monica just nodded her head.  
  
"But..." Max looked over at the portal that Monica stood in front of. It would take her home. "Well we ever see each other again?"  
  
"Who knows..." The wind blew though Monica's fiery red hair. "I hope we do... But hey!" She slightly smiled. "You'll remember me. Right?"  
  
"Of course I will!" Max also smiled. "I'll never forget you!"  
  
"I'll never forget you, too." She slowly walked up to him and hugged him tenderly. "I'll miss you..." She also sounded like she was trying to fight back tears.  
  
Max's face was a little red, but he returned the hug. "I'll miss you..." They slowly broke away and looked into each other's eyes. There was a moment of silent between them, until Monica walked back towards the portal.  
  
"Goodbye, Max." She said.  
  
"Goodbye, Monica." He said.  
  
She stepped inside the time portal. It, along with her slowly disappeared. Max stood there and watched as she slowly vanished.  
  
"I love you, Monica." He said shortly after the portal closed. He wished that he had told her before. And he feared he would never have the chance again.  
  
Monica stood in front of her castle. It was in ruins, but she knew hat it could be fixed. Small tears escaped her eyes, however. "Max... I want to stay with you... forever..." With their adventure now over, they were parted away. Not just in miles, but years. They were a century away from each other.  
  
Chapter 1:  
Bitter Parting...  
But We Meet Again!  
  
5 months later....  
  
Inside a dusty old town in Monica's time, a little kid is being kicked around by a group of large winged red devil ogres. They kick the small boy to the ground.  
  
"Please..." The little boy cried. "Leave me alone..."  
  
"Shut up!" A blue one, obviously the leader, shouted at him. "Griffon may be dead, but this is still my turf! I'll knock ya flat on your ass when I want to!"  
  
"Wanna bet?" A voice rang from nowhere. The ogres looked around and saw at the town exit a human teen. He seemed 16, had tan short hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a green sleeveless shirt and long blue pants. He was also wearing a long blue open coat that just hovered over the ground. He had in his hands a bottle of grape juice. He took a long sip of it. "Ack!" He spit it out. "That crap terrible!!!" He threw the bottle at the blue ogre.  
  
The ogre batted it away with his backhand. "Who the hell are you?"  
  
"Sorry ya had to be boss of this turf." The mysterious boy replied. "The juice here tastes like piss!" He sees a barrel of juice next to him. "Guess the only way to drink this crap is in bulk." He picks up the barrel and punches the top open. He starts to drink it down.  
  
"Guys!" The ogre ordered his men. "Waste this scum!"  
  
As commanded, they all run towards the teen with their claws drawn. He finishes drinking the barrel and dodges all the swipes and punches of the monsters. He counters all of them with punches and kicks that knock them down.  
  
"C'mon guys! Try to make this fun!" He knocks down all the monsters and leaps into the air. "Helluva party!!!" He gathers up yellow energy in his hand and forms a ball. He throws it down to the monster and it blows up, killing them all.  
  
"How...did...he...." The ogre leader's face was covered in sweat. "I didn't think anyone less powerful than Griffon could kill off that many at once."  
  
The teen's eyes narrowed when he heard the name "Griffon." He landed on the ground and ran towards the ogre and grabbed him by the neck. "What was that?"  
  
The ogre struggled to breathe. "I...didn't..."  
  
"Do you know something about Griffon? DO YA?"  
  
"No... I swear..."  
  
"I'd appreciate it greatly if ya didn't lie to me in front of my face. That way I won't have to do this." The teen tightened his grip.  
  
"Ack! Let...go... I know... nothing..."  
  
"Where is Griffon?"  
  
"He's...he's..."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"He's...dead... he was... killed by the ones... chosen by... the... Atlamillias..."  
  
"Is this true?"  
  
"Y...yes... That's why I...got this turf... after he died... we all split...up what he controlled..."  
  
The teen just looked at the ogre. "You lie." The ogre managed to break free and ran as quickly away as he can. The teen's entire right arm glowed yellow. Suddenly, 3 yellow energy blades surrounded his arm. "BLADES OF LIGHT!!!" He moved his arm towards the ogre and the blades flew off.  
  
The ogre ran for a little bit farther than stopped. He saw the blades run right past him and disappear. Cuts appeared on his left leg, stomach and neck. He fell apart into 3 separate pieces. The blades cut him perfectly and killed him.  
  
"Oh well!" The teen shrugged his shoulders. "Got what I could get." He turned towards the exit and walk to it. The little boy the ogres were messing with only watched as he left the town and walked towards the setting sun. "Next stop. Palm Brinks."   
  
About 1000 miles away from this, was Castle Raybrandt. Princess Monica was at the dining room, sitting alone. She was in her princess clothes and looked sad. A servant came in and brought her a plate with food on it.  
  
"Here's your dinner, Princess." The servant said with a smile on his face.  
  
"Thank you." Monica replied with a dispirited tone.  
  
The servant turned towards the door, but turned to see Monica before he left. Monica sighed sadly and just moved the food on her plate around with her fork and didn't eat. The servant smile turned to a worried frown and he walked out.  
  
"She's getting worst." He said to one of the maid who was standing outside the door.  
  
"She hasn't smiled in months." The maid worriedly replied. She was also frowning in worry. "She hasn't eaten in weeks, and she hardly ever speaks."  
  
"PRINCESS MONICA!!!" Another servant rushed down the hall towards the dining room. "PRINCESS MONICA!!!" He stopped in front of the other servants.  
  
"The princess is having dinner." The male servant scolded. "She cannot be disturbed."  
  
"But...it's...a...emergency..." The out of breath servant panted out. "The princess has an important guest."  
  
"This guest will have to wait until she finishes her meal."  
  
"But it's Madame Crest!"  
  
The servant's eyes widen. "The Great Sage Crest?"  
  
"Yes. She's here to talk to the princess."  
  
"Well, we mustn't keep her waiting!" He looks at the maid. "Tell the princess that Crest is here!" She runs into the dinner room. He then looks at the other servant. "What are you waiting for? Go get her!" The both servants run down the hall.  
  
Monica was still just looking at her plate. She then looked up and looked at the maid.  
  
"Princess Monica. You have a guest tonight. Shall I send her in?"  
  
"Yes." Monica said spiritlessly.  
  
The maid stepped out the room and The Great Sage Crest entered.  
  
"Hello, Monica." She said will bowing her head.  
  
"Lin?" Monica said in a puzzled tone. "Why are you here?"  
  
Crest lowered her head narrowed her eyes. "Do you remember Griffon's energy force?"  
  
"Y-yes... It was a dark energy. But we destroyed it. Me and Max..." she looked sad again.  
  
"Well..." Crest started to say before Monica slowly rose out of her seat with concern and fear on her face.   
  
(NOTE: For this scene, Crest and Monica are still speaking, but as voiceovers. (...) means a voice over.)  
  
("Crest? What is it?")  
  
The tan haired teen ran through a dead forest while a group of skeletons chased after him.  
  
"Get him!" The skeletons shouted as they got closer to him.  
  
("I have sense a great power in the world. A power no less stronger than Griffon's.")  
  
The teen stopped and turned around. He faces the charging monsters. He smiled cockily and yellow energy blades surrounded his arm. "BLADES OF LIGHT!!!" He jumped into the air and threw the blades.  
  
("What?! That's impossible! We destroyed that dark energy completely! There wasn't any left!")  
  
Three yellow blades flew towards the skeletons and reduced all of them to a pile of lifeless bones.  
  
"Ha! You little bone wimps can't beat me!" Just then, the bones started to shake and rumble. They float into the air and they all merged together. The bones turned into a huge skeleton dragon that blew fire towards the teen. "This'll be fun."  
  
("That's what we though. But everyday, the energy gets stronger and stronger. I've felt it for a least 2 weeks, but didn't think it could possible be that energy.")  
  
Just as the flames were about to hit the teen, he jumped back in the air and dodged it. He clenched his fist. "Like I said, this'll be fun!" His fist started to glow black. He opened his hand and formed a small ball of energy at his palm. It steadily grew larger.  
  
("Are you sure it's...")  
  
"ENERGY BLAST!!!" As soon as he shouted this, the ball suddenly becomes as big as he is. He fires it at the dragon. When it makes contact, the energy explodes in a large blast and covers the monster. When the dust settled, the only thing left of the dragon was a simple pile of ashes.  
  
("Yes. It has to be. No one can be that strong and grow more powerful so fast.")  
  
A loud roar in the trees snapped the teen into attention, he looked towards the north and saw a large, sword wielding golem emerge. He roared even louder when he saw the teen.  
  
"No need to shout." The teen replied. "You want me? Come get me."  
  
The golem ran full speed towards the boy and slashed his sword at him.  
  
("So... what is the energy doing now?")  
  
The teen did a back flip to dodge the blow. When he stood up right, a small diagonal cut was on his left cheek. The blood flowed out and trickled to the ground. The teen just smiled at this.  
  
"Guess I can't be as relaxed as I was with the other, huh?" The teen quickly ran towards the monster. "Dodge this!"  
  
Before the golem could slash his sword, the teen jumped to the monster's head and started to punch its face at an amazing speed. Punch after punch, jab after jab, hook after hook, the monster's head was turning left and right, being uppercut up and punched back. The teen then did a spinning front kick and struck the monster in the right cheek. This cause it to turn it's a head a full 180'o degree until its head was backwards. The teen then did one final smashing punch that completely destroyed the monster's head. The rubble fell to the ground, as did the now headless golem. It hit the ground so hard, the earth shook and quaked. Without a doubt, it was dead.  
  
("From what I sense, it is heading towards...")  
  
"Only 300 miles to Palm Brinks." The teen looked towards the south. The cut on his face slowly vanished. It was as if the cut never occurred. He walked further down the woods and towards his final destination.   
  
"Palm Brinks?!" Monica was shocked at the news. "He's heading to Max's home city?"  
  
"Actually," Crest looked towards the map on the wall. "He's headed for "the present" Palm Brinks." She pointed to the city on the map. "As in, our time."  
  
"He must be trying to go back in time to..." Monica gasped. "We must stop him!"  
  
"Yes. He might try to erase Max from history. And you do that is he is erased..."  
  
"The final battle between us and Griffon will never occurred. And... he'll take over..." she snapped her head up. "What can we do to stop it?"  
  
"The only thing that can be done... you do remember how to use this?" Crest held up an object in her hands. Monica looked at it and her eyes widen. Crest smiled. "It's time to go back..."   
  
While all this was happening, 100 years in the past, or Max's Time, 4 kids were surrounding the window of Cedric's shop. They were watching Max working on a new invention. But he looked tired and bored. It was clear he hasn't slept in a while. There wasn't even a smile or frown on his face. He looked lifeless.  
  
"Wonder what's wrong?" One of the kids spoke. It was Corinne.  
  
"Maybe he's sick?" Another kid, Fabio, said.  
  
"Or maybe he's tired of making things?"  
  
"Or maybe a girl dumped him?"  
  
"I think option 3 best describes it." Donny, who was also watching from the window, told the others.  
  
"Donny!" Claire scolded him. "That's not true! Monica had to leave. They couldn't prevent it. Besides, she said she might come back."  
  
"Yeah. All we gotta do is wait for another maniacal bad guy, or hope Max lives another century."  
  
The kids then saw Mayor Need walking up the stairs of the shop and go inside.  
  
"Huh?" Claire murmured. "Wonder what my father needs?"   
  
"And that's the whole story..." Mayor Need finished explaining to Cedric and Max. "Without that Zelmite, we can't complete reconstructing the Blackstone Railroad."  
  
"Hmm..." Cedric scratched his chin. "After years of excavation, the Zelmite Mine might be completely out of that stuff."  
  
"Well, we didn't go all the way down the mine. We stopped digging when monsters started to inhabit the cave. That's why we sealed it."  
  
"So..." Max had broken his long silence. "You need someone to go in there and look for it, right?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Say no more." Max raised his head and had a confident smile. "I'll go and get all the Zelmite you need."  
  
"Are you sure, Max?" Cedric warned him. "These monsters might be..."  
  
"Tougher than what I used to face? Not likely. If you really need it, I'll get the job done."  
  
Cedric nodded his head. "I'll equip Steve with a powerful drill that can break through any rock. That'll make getting the Zelmite easier."  
  
"That'll be good."  
  
"The whole town thanks you, Max." Need told him. "But why are you so eager to go in?"  
  
"5 months is a long time." Max started to say. "Be nice to have another adventure."   
  
After only 2 days, Steve was ready with a super powerful drill and Max had with him a hammer and Uzi machine gun to take with him into the dark cave. He traveled to the spot where the excavation had stopped and saw a deep, dark hole. Even his lantern hat could illuminate the darkness within. He stood over it, alone.  
  
"Looks deep." He thought. He then pounded a metal spike into the rock ground and tied a rope around it and his waist. He gently lowered himself down into the abyss. He keeps jumping off the side and landed there to slow his descend. He got a little nervous when he saw small pebbles rolling down the wall. "Hope it's close..." He keep going down the seemingly endless hole and started to sweat. He knew not whether his rope would break or the spike pull out. Thankfully he reached the bottom and untied the rope from around him. He looked around, using his lantern to light the corners and chambers around him. "Strange." He whispered. "Normally, the monsters would..." On cue, a group of clowns and froggies surrounded him. "Leap out at me!"  
  
"It's you!" One of the clowns spoke. "You're the one who killed Master Flotsam!"  
  
"You must be the remains of his army."  
  
"You'll pay for his death!" The clown then threw his knife at Max. On instinct, he used his index and middle finger to catch the blade. The clown was in shock.  
  
"Endless hoards of monsters and freaks trying to kill me." Max dropped the knife and smiled. "Kinda missed it."  
  
The clowns all jumped towards Max at the same time. That was a mistake... Max readied his gun and shot all the clowns that circled him. With a steam of bullets and a quick turn, all the clowns were defeated. One of the froggies took a great hop towards him. He used his hammer to flatten and kill it. Another shot acid at him. He jumped over it and fired his gun at the frog, killing it instantly. The last 2 frogs rushed towards him at the same time. He charged up his hammer and spin stuck them and killed them.  
  
"Piece of cake."  
  
He looked around and saw a dark cave. Although we wasn't sure where the ore he was after was, he ran into the darkness. Thankfully, his lantern kept his way lit. Just as he took a few steps inside, a large Spider Lady falls from the ceiling in front of him. Behind him, a masked tribesmen lands on the ground.  
  
"What?" Max was shocked. Lady Spiders usually roams the Rainbow Butterfly Woods and Masked Tribesmen, the Balance Valley.  
  
Max readied his hammer and jumped towards the Spider Lady. He smashed its abdomen and killed it. He then ran towards the Tribesmen and tried to smash its face. But thanks to its gold mask, it was unharmed. The tribesmen bit at Max and caused him to fall back. He lifted his gun and shot into the mouth. The tribesmen cried in pain and dropped the mask. Max took the opportunity to attack and hit it with the hammer. This finished off the monster. He ran down another chamber of the cave and towards a large glowing wall. He smiled at the sight. It was a wall of pure Zelmite ore.  
  
"At last!" He pulled out of his pocket a small wooden box. He set it on the ground and watched as it opened up. A bright white light shined out. The whole room lit up as the box and light disappeared and in their place, was the Ridepod Steve. (That's how I think the Ridepod is summoned.) "Now to get that ore!"  
  
He hops into the machine and started the drill. It whirled loudly as it started. He maneuvered the machine closer to the ore. The drill dug into the wall and caused the wall to shake. Pieces of ore started falling to the ground. After a few minutes of drilling, Max jumped out of the Ridepod and gathered the pieces of ore into a brown sack. He collected as much as he could in the large bag. "That should be enough." He thought. Just as he got ready to put the Ridepod away, a loud roar echoed though the cave, causes it to shake. He looked to the south where the entrance of the chamber was and quickly grabbed the bag, threw it into the Ridepod, and jumped in. Immediately, the entrance was reduced to rubble as a Giant Dragon (that walks on 2 legs) bursts in. Behind it was a Stone Golem and a Stone Soldier. All 3 looked at Max and charged forward.  
  
Max started the drill and dug into the Stone Golem's stomach. In a matter of seconds, it collapsed to a mess of pebbles. The Dragon flew towards the Ridepod and tore off its drill arm. Max jumped out and struck the dragon with his hammer. The dragon shook off the pain and hit Max in the chest, sending him flying into a wall. The stone soldier armed its stone sword and tried to slice Max. Thanks to his quick speed and back flips, he was unscratched. He tried to shoot the monster with his gun, but the bullets simply bounced off its stone body. The soldier swings at Max again and hits him in the shoulder. Max yells in pain. He then blocks the next swing with his weapon and manages to back away from it. The dragon comes up from behind him and uses its flame breath. Max quickly dodges the fire, grabs the bag of Zelmite, and runs out the chamber. The Stone Soldier suffers the flames and gets killed. Max stops running when an army of Evil Bats surrounds him. He shoots down some of them with his gun but more come and start to attack him. They knock him down rapidly hit him. He gets back up and runs down another corridor. He turns around and shoots down some more bats. After a while the bullets stop. He has run out of ammo. He continues to run down the cave with the bag over his shoulder and hammer in hand. More monsters block his way and continue to fight back. But when a sharp clawed Giant Rat claws him in the face, he falls to the ground again and loses his hammer.  
  
"Damn!" He curses as a skeleton soldier stands over him with its sword drawn. It holds it over Max chest and raises it, ready to stab. "Looks like... this is it..." Max thinks to himself. The skeleton drives its sword down but stops just an inch before it goes into Max's chest. Max looks up and sees the skeleton has been slashed in the ribcage. It falls to pieces and vanishes. "What?"  
  
Max then sees flashes of light and hears slashing sounds. He's sees the giant rat has been stabbed and killed, the Spider Ladies' legs cut off, the dragon has bee slashed, and the stone warrior set on fire. After a while, all the monsters have been killed. Max looks up and sees a red head warrior standing over him with a hand extended towards him. "Tough day, Max?" The person says. Max instantly remembers the voice.  
  
"M...Monica!" Max shouted out in surprise. He looked at her. She was still the same as they mat. She had the same ruby red eyes, and fiery red hair. She wore the pumpkin shorts wardrobe and had in her hands her father's sword.  
  
"Looks like you can use some help." She said with a warm smile on her face.  
  
Max reached for her hand. She helped him on his feet and they stared into each other's eyes. They heard the roars of more monsters heading towards them. They let go of each other's hands and looked towards the entrance of the cave.  
  
"We have to go." She told Max.  
  
"What? Where?" Max question.  
  
She grabbed his hand again. "To my time." She pulled out of her pocket a small, gold hourglass.  
  
Max eyes widen in shock. "That's... the... Starglass!" In just moments, a blinding flash lit up the cave. When it dimmed, Max and Monica were both gone. The monsters entered the cave and were puzzled.  
  
"Where did they go?" Said one of the creatures.   
  
Meanwhile, at Monica's time, the mysterious youth was standing atop a cliff and had Future Palm Brinks in his sights.  
  
"So this is the place." He saw the ruined state it was in. "Whadda hell hole! Still... it will all be worth it soon." A cocky smile crossed his face as he walked down the cliff and towards his destination...  
  
/Could this teen really be Griffon's Dark Energy reincarnated? What business does he have with the shambled Palm Brinks, and can Max and Monica stop him before him in time?/   
  
START TEASER:  
  
Max: {voice over} Hey everyone! Max here! Monica and I make it to her time and the first thing we do? Watch a tournament. Turns out Future Palm Brinks is holding a tournament to find the strongest fighter in the land. But the reason we're here is because a dark energy looms in the ring. The main suspect... this 16-year-old fighter with unbelievable power. But with tough competition in these fights, even he'll have a hard time climbing to the top. I just hope that Monica and I can defeat this guy. Next Chapter....  
  
The Tournament  
Of Power!  
  
Max: See ya soon!!!  
  
END TEASER  
  
Whatcha think of the first chapter? Plz review and tell me! 


	2. Tournament of Power!

/It's been 5 months since the destruction of Griffon and peace had returned, for now. The Great Sage Crest told Princess Monica of a dark force that was heading towards Palm Brinks of their time. The dark force was a young teenager with powerful energy attacks. Back at Max's time, he had to go into the Zelmite Mine to find some Zelmite ore to complete the rebuilding of the Blackstone Railroad. After finding some, he was attacked by swarms of monsters and was about to be killed. Thanks to Monica, he was saved. And now they are heading to her time to stop the dark energy that stands just outside the city./  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The Tournament  
  
Of Power!  
  
The bright morning sun couldn't light up the dark gloomy town of future Palm Brinks. Thousands of monsters surrounded the walls. They were all there for the same thing. The Annual Tournament of Power held every year. They entered into the city and went straight to the Coliseum. They all got their tickets and swarmed into the arena and took their seats. There was loud banter between them.  
  
"There's nuthin' more entertaining than humans killin' humans!" One monster said.  
  
"Unless it's Garr killin' humans!" Another one said.  
  
There were posters of the champion, Garr, all over the place. The giant red dragon stood atop his two feet in a ferocious pose. He had his large dark blue wings spread open and a long spear in his right hand. He wore dark black armor and had deep red eyes to match his body. He was the champion of the tournament 6 years running. He planned to make it 7 today.  
  
Outside the arena, the competitors, humans and monsters entered into the arena though another door. Their names were taken and they were recorded into the fighter's list.  
  
"Name." The monster sitting at the desk wrote down every fighter's name and let him or her in. "Name." "Name." He kept this up until a human teen was up. He looked up. "You lost, kid?"  
  
"No." The teen replied. It was the same teen that had the powerful energy attacks. "I'm here to fight! And win!"  
  
"You're what? 14? 15?"  
  
"16. The legal fighting age for this tournament."  
  
"Fine. Your funeral. Name?"  
  
"Cain." The teen replied. "Cain Leohart."  
  
"Well, Cain Leohart. Be careful in there."  
  
Cain walked into the door and stopped for a minute, "This should be fun!"   
  
Just feet away from the stadium was the Zelmite mine. Inside, a bright flash of light illuminated a dark corridor. When it faded, Monica fell from the ceiling and on her back. Max then fell right on top of her, their faces only an inch away. They stared in each other's eyes for a second then realized what happened. They both blushed a deep red and quickly got up and looked away from each other.  
  
"S-sorry..." Max said sheepishly, his face a bright red.  
  
"I-it's okay..." Monica said while still blushing. "I forgot that the mine floor is lowered in the future."  
  
"So uh..." Max regained his composure and asked Monica. "Why did you bring me here?"  
  
"Well, you see," Monica started to explain. "Lately a dark power has been looming around the world. And I believe the power might be here."  
  
"Why do you need me for this?"  
  
"It's no ordinary power... it might be..."  
  
"The dark force Griffon had?!" Max was shocked.  
  
"Yes..." Monica nodded. "And I was afraid he'd try to go back in time and... try to... erase you from history..."  
  
"If it is Griffon's energy... But how can we fight it? We don't have any way to fight it, and regular weapons won't..."  
  
"But..." Monica interrupted. "If we fight it when it has yet to grow more powerful, we could probably stop it. With some effort, of course."  
  
Max nodded. "Let's go then!" He started to head towards the way out of the cave, when Monica grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Huh?"  
  
"Max..." Monica started to say softly. "I have to warn you... You may not like what you're about to see..."   
  
Max and Monica made their way out of the mine and into the city. Max eyes were snapped open and his mouth gaped. He saw the horror that was Palm Brinks.  
  
This was not the peaceful Brinks of the past. Houses were in ruins, the grass was dead, and the sky was a ghastly black over the town. The roads were cracked and crumpled, the trees were cut down or dead. Skulls and bones layered the ground. Not a single human was in sight. The town was infested with nothing but monsters. There were few humans, but they looked crooked and wicked. This town, a once happy town, was now a place of death and ruin.  
  
Max couldn't even speak. He was couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. He felt Monica's hand touch his shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry, Max..." She said, trying to comfort him. "But this town was overtaken by monsters and every human killed."  
  
"Monica..." Max finally spoke. "When did this happen?"  
  
She looked down... "40 years ago... A massive attack destroyed everything. Killed everyone. I know that it isn't fair..."  
  
Max looked down. "It... can't be helped..." Max said sadly. "It's just really hard to see the placed you lived in all your life in shambles."  
  
Monica also looked down. "It is..." She remembered how she felt when she saw her castle destroyed. But it was rebuilt and repaired. Nothing could bring Palm Brinks back its happy, healthy state.  
  
After a brief pause, Max spoke up. "Where is the energy?"  
  
Monica looked up and saw Max had a determined look on his face. She smiled. "Crest said that the energy was in the arena."  
  
"Arena?" Max looked across from where he was and saw the coliseum. He noticed it was standing right where the Church once stood. "So what do we do?"  
  
"The energy's new form will be entered in the tournament. I'll bet the winner is the energy we're after. We just need to sit though a few fights."  
  
"Let's go." Max and Monica both walked towards the coliseum. They were about to enter it, when a green arm stopped them.  
  
"Holdssssssssssss it!" A slithering voice spoke to them. It was a lizard monster. "You needssssssssss ticketssssssss to enter."  
  
"Tickets?" Max questioned. "Where can we get them?"  
  
"You can buyssssssssssssssssssss them from me! We gotssssssssssssss 2 left."  
  
"Really?" Monica said. "What luck!"  
  
"It'll costsssssssssss you 100,000 gildassssssssssssss!"  
  
"100,000!!!" Max shouted.  
  
"Itssssssssss this best seatssssssss of the arena. Right nearsssssssss the ring."  
  
"We don't care about..." Max started to say until Monica handed the lizard a big bag of gilda.  
  
"Here you go. 200,000 for two tickets." She said.  
  
The lizard took the bags. "And heressssssssssss the ticketssssssss."  
  
"Thank you." Monica said casually and took the tickets.  
  
They then walked into the door.  
  
"M-Monica?" Max said was amazement in his voice. "How did you?"  
  
"It's just some left over from our first adventure. I sold all the extra swords I had."  
  
"Guess that explains it. But do you carry it all with you at all times?"  
  
"That's all of it. But it's no big deal. C'mon!" Monica raced down the arena hall. Max followed her.   
  
The arena was loud. That was the only word for it. They crowd was in an excited frenzy for the fights. The arena seats all had a monster or human in it. The crowds of over 25,000 were seated 10 feet of the ground and about 30 feet away from the circled battle platform. The platform was grey stone and was 25 feet in circumference. Large enough for about 50 fighters at once. In the middle, stood a demon rat in a black announcer's suit.  
  
"Welcome to the 30th annual Tournament of Power!!!" The announcer shouted into a microphone. The crowd cheered and whistled. "First off! Some ground rules! The tournament committee will not be responsible for any lost, damaged, or stolen items, will not be responsible for any nausea or sickness caused by the brutality of the fights, or any deaths caused from badly aimed blasts from the competitors!" The crowd cheered again. Max and Monica were both seated next to each other in the front row and had the best view of the ring. The fighter's entrance was right below them.  
  
"Did he say, 'deaths caused from badly aimed blasts?'" Max asked Monica.  
  
"These might not have been the best seats..." Monica told him.  
  
"We gotta a great tournament for you, but first... bring out the brave fighters!!!" The crowd roared in excitement as a group of demons and human competitors walk from the entrance and down to the ring. The teen, Cain came out last and looked around.  
  
He heard some jeers and insults from the crowd. "GO HOME, HUMAN!!!" "YOU WITH THE TAN HAIR!!! YOU BETTER RUN TO YOUR MOMMY!"  
  
Cain then turned towards the monster that said that. "GO SHOVE IT WHERE IT HURTS!!!" He shouted back. He then made his way towards the ring. All the competitors surrounded the ring. There were 105 different fighters.  
  
"Now as you all know..." The announcer started to say. "There are only 8 brackets for this tournament. That's means only 8 of you will be in the actual tournament. But since the champ is automatically in the fights, that leaves only 7. So the only way to figure out the advancing 7 is with a 15 man Battle Royale!" The crowd cheered even louder. "Please go back to the locker room and look for your name on the charts waiting for you. That will tell you which fight you'll be in." With that, the fighter headed back into the locker room.  
  
"Any one of these guys could be who I'm looking for..." Cain thought to himself. "But going though them will be easy..." He was the last to step though the door.   
  
Meanwhile, in a private locker room, the champion, Garr, was looking at himself in a full size mirror.  
  
"Everyone loves you, champ." He said to himself. He pulled out a large spear. "They have to..." The dragon laughed evilly and looked towards the door. A member of the committee was there.  
  
"The tournament preliminaries are about to start." He said meekly.  
  
Garr laughed again. "Every year, another army of wannabes trying to take what's mine. But I kill every one of them if I had the chance. Sadly, I gotta settle with only 7."  
  
"It's a tough crowd this year. Some of these fighters are world known killers."  
  
Garr looked at the man angrily. "It doesn't matter if they're killed millions of victims!" He shouted. "They aren't worthy of this belt!" He gestured towards the gold champion belt around his waist. "Or the title! You just send them to me, and I'll send them back in little pieces!"  
  
"R-r-r-r-right sir!" The committee member said nervously and closed the door.  
  
Garr turned to walk back towards his mirror, but stopped when he saw Cain sitting in his chair, reading a magazine with Garr's picture on it.  
  
"You're full of yourself, are ya!" He said without lifting his head.  
  
"Who the hell are you?!" Garr roared back. "This is MY private locker room!"  
  
"Calm down... I'll be out in a minute." Cain dropped the magazine. "I'm just thinking how good that belt would look around my waist after I win this tournament!"  
  
Garr laughed. "You're one of those pathetic human fighters, aren't ya! I won't lose this belt to a human, especially a human punk like you!"  
  
"You should stop talking... It makes you sound stupid."  
  
"Grrrrrrrrrrrrr... You little brat!!!" He drew his spear.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I was you. You know that if you harm a fighter outside of battle, you'll be stripped of your title. And it's no fun not to beat up the champ in front of his stupid fans."  
  
"Ha! You won't even get past the preliminaries!"  
  
"Is that so..." Cain got up and walked towards the door. "Instead of looking at your ugly face, why don't you watch the first preliminary round. I'm in that one, so you can see how 'pathetic' I really am. Seeya in the tournament!" He walked out the door and slammed it shut. Garr just looked with an angry and terrifying face.   
  
It was now time for the first preliminary match of the tournament. The 15 fighters all stood in the ring. Cain was among them. The announcer was standing outside it.  
  
"Now here are the rules!" He started to say. "The only ways to be eliminated from the fight is to be either thrown out of the ring or killed. We don't care which. The last man standing will win a bracket in the tournament."  
  
Max and Monica were watching very closely. "That doesn't look good..." Max told Monica.  
  
The other 14 fighters were all monsters and they were standing all bunched up in one side while Cain stood alone in the other.  
  
"So it's agreed..." One of the monsters told the other. "We tear the human apart and eat him."  
  
Cain just stood there with narrowed eyes towards the monsters.  
  
"Ready..." The announcer raised his hand. He then brought it down. "FIGHT!!!"  
  
The first monster, a winged green imp flew straight towards Cain with its clawed extended and mouth wide open. Slobber poured from his teeth as he licked his upper lip. "TIME TO EAT!!!" He shouted in a shrill tone.  
  
Cain ran towards the monster, shouting a battle cry. He jumped into the air and kicked the imp in the back. This caused him to crash to the ground. Cain stood over him and grabbed his wings. "AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" The imp cried in pain as Cain tore his wings off and kicked him out of the ring.  
  
"Too easy!" He shouted. Only 14 remained. He turned and saw 3 monsters, a skeleton, dark troll, and axe wielding demon knight run towards him. Cain quickly ran towards the giant black armored knight and punched it in the stomach. It fell back and hit the ground hard. Cain then sweep kicked the incoming troll. He picked him up and threw him at the skeleton,. The monster was hit with the other and fell to the ground. Cain jumped into the air and gathered a yellow ball of energy in his hand. "TAKE THIS!!!" He threw it at the monster and in one huge, fiery explosion, the monsters were killed instantly.  
  
6 monsters surrounded Cain when he landed on the ground. They each tried to hold him down as an ogre with a war hammer marched towards him. "HAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Cain shouted as he spin kicked and knocked down all the monsters. He set his sight on the hammer and ran towards it. He grabbed it and jumped right on top of it. "HEEEEEEEEEEEYAH!!!" In a volley of lighting fast punches, he rapidly hit the ogre's face. Blow after blow, the ogre face started to bleed. "AND HERES THE KILL!!!" With one last, powerful punch, he jabbed the ogre and made its face turn to the left. Blood and saliva escaped its broken mouth as it fell face to the ground... dead.  
  
The other 6 monsters didn't fare well. "BLADES OF LIGHT!!!" He threw 3 energy blades at the 6 and sliced them to pieces. One blade even got through to the imp outside the ring and sliced its head off, killing it.  
  
"MY!!!" The announcer shouted. "Such violence!!! Such gore!!! I don't believe it!"  
  
Max and Monica were watching in nervous amazement.  
  
Only 3 were left, Cain and two other monsters. The last two monsters turned and ran towards the edge of the ring.  
  
"YOU WIN!" One of them screamed in fear. Cain ran towards them at with great speed. He stood in front of them and they ran the other way. Cain clenched both his fists and ran towards them again. He stopped in front of them again and began to jab and hook them with punch after punch. After 12 punches for each, the monster's faces were battered and bruised. They both tried to run again, but Cain grabbed them by their necks.  
  
"GOOD BYE!" He shouted as he threw them towards the wall. With the great speed and the distance they were thrown, their bone shattered when they crashed into the arena wall. They both died from the impact. And then there was only one in the ring... Cain.  
  
"The match is over!!!" The announcer shouted. "The winner of the first round preliminary, and winner of the first tournament bracket is fighter, Cain Leohart!!!"  
  
The crowd was silent for a minute, until slowly they started to show their disrespect. "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! GO HOME!!!" The crowd got extremely hateful of Cain. They saw the killing of 14 of their fellow monsters. And it wasn't done by another monster, it was done by... a human. "BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"  
  
Cain then looked up at the crowd and shouted, "YOUR CHAMP IS NEXT!!!". This statement drew in more jeers and boos from the crowd. "NOW THAT I'M IN THIS TOURNAMENT TIME TO KICK SOME ASSES!!!" Cain walked over to the locker room entrance and walked in, not paying attention to the hateful comments.  
  
"Monica..." Max was in shock. "Did you see that?"  
  
"Yeah..." She too was in shock. "That was a lot of power he used... nothing less a energy force like Griffon's could do..."   
  
After a while, the preliminaries ended. And the battle orders were being set. It was almost time for the first match:  
  
The Ninja, Shiro  
  
Vs.  
Cain Leohart  
  
The two fighters walked towards the ring from the locker rooms.  
  
"You know, kid..." The ninja started to talk to Cain. "In my profession, I've killed many, both monster and human, so don't blame me when I hack you to bits."  
  
"Sorry old man." Cain replied. "But this is one fighter you ain't gonna beat!"  
  
"You're too cocky for a first time fighter."  
  
Cain then stopped for a minute and closed his eyes. Shiro looked at him. "Have you decided to give up?"  
  
Cain opened his eyes. "Sorry. I was just praying for your mortal soul. After I kill you, I hope Hell isn't to hard on you."  
  
The crowd started to boo at Cain and throw garbage at him. "Rip out his eyes, Shiro!" ":And shove em' down his throat."  
  
"Damn..." Cain cursed. "Least the crowd is getting creative..."  
  
They both walked into the ring and stood at opposite sides of it. The announcer was in the middle of the ring.  
  
"Our first match is about to begin!" He shouted. "Our first fighter, winner of the 4th preliminary match, the 79 year-old famous Invisible Assassin, Ninja Shiro!!!" The crowd started to cheer and whistle for the ninja. He wore pitch-black ninja clothes and a black mask that covered his mouth and nose. The only things visible are his grey eyes. "And the winner of the first preliminary match, Cain Leohart!!!" The second he said his name, the crowd booed and said more insults and hateful words.  
  
"They all hate you." Shiro told Cain.  
  
"Let em'."  
  
"The rules are simple, anything goes! Weapons, magic, and other forms of attacks are allowed. You can win only if you're opponent is dead, or is knocked out of the ring for more than 10 counts." The announcer explained. "Ready..." The announcer raised his hand. He brought it down. "FIGHT!!!"  
  
Shiro ran full speed towards Cain. His speed was so fast, it even shocked Cain. The ninja punched him right in the jaw and knocked him down.  
  
"Ha..." Shiro snorted.  
  
"What speed!!!" The announcer commented. "Better not blink or you'll must some of Shiro's action." The crowd started to cheer and chant "Shiro!"  
  
"Lucky shot, old man!" Cain shouted.  
  
"Luck?" Shiro watched as Cain jumped to his feet. "It's all skill my friend..."  
  
Cain ran towards Shiro faster than Shiro did him. This took the ninja by surprise. "Try this one!!!" Cain started to rapidly punch Shiro in the chest. Shiro grunted with each blow landed. Cain then ended the attack with elbow that sent Shiro skidding to the edge of the ring.  
  
Shiro pulled out a small knife and ran towards Cain again. This time, however, Cain was able to dodge every swipe of the knife and counter by kneeing Shiro in the stomach. This knocked the wind out of him and made him drop the knife. Cain took the chance to grab it and throw it into the crowd, out of Shiro's reach. "Old men shouldn't play with sharp toys."  
  
Shiro shook off the pain and looked at Cain. "You're more skilled than I thought... But can you handle this?" The ninja started to glow white.  
  
"Shiro entire body is starting to glow!" The announcer shouted. "What is he gonna do next."  
  
"He's gonna get his ass kicked!!!" Cain got ready to throw another punch towards Shiro's face.  
  
"Invisible Battle Style!!!" Shiro yelled out the attack and to everyone surprise, he vanished into thin air.  
  
"WHAT!?" Cain couldn't believe what happened. He looked around for the ninja. "The hell did you go?" He then looked behind him and got a strong punch to the face. This sent him flying out the ring. Cain quickly jumped back into the ring. "Where'd that come from?!"  
  
"Why do you think they call me, 'Invisible Assassin?'" Shiro's voice rang from nowhere.  
  
"Yeah... I didn't think it was just a stupid title!"  
  
"A joker to the end, huh?" Shiro laughed. "Too bad your end is near."  
  
"C'mon..." Cain said to himself... "C'mon..."  
  
After a while, Cain is hit with an uppercut and then punched left and right in the face. The crowd was still cheering and chanting "Shiro!" Cain somehow escapes the attacks.  
  
"Dammit... I can't even hear him walk cause of the noise these idiots are making!"  
  
"Thanks to Shiro's invisibility trick," The announcer started to say, "Cain has nowhere to run or hide!"  
  
"Give up, boy..." Shiro's voice was heard again. "You cannot win this one. You're just a cocky little punk who got lucky."  
  
Cain then looked towards the direction the voice was coming from. "I may be cocky..." He knew Shiro was getting closer. "And a punk." He clenched his fist. "But I don't win... by..." He then threw a straight punch." LUCK!!!" He heard Shiro's grunt of pain. He thought he had hit him. But a kick to the stomach and punch in the nose told him otherwise. He was then uppercut again and sent back a few steps. He did the only thing he could think of... guard himself.  
  
"You can't fight what you can't see, my friend."  
  
"I heard that!!!" With a powerful left jab, he punched the air and amazingly, hit Shiro. His grunt of pain made it clear. Shiro was knocked back to the edge of the ring.  
  
"How did he..." Shiro growled in anger.  
  
"That one was a lucky blow, if I could just..." Cain's eyes opened up wide. "That's it!" His right arm started to glow yellow. The 3 blades appeared on his arms. "BLADES OF LIGHT!!!"  
  
"It seems Cain is about to just his blade move! But he doesn't even know where Shiro is!" The announcer cried out excitedly.  
  
"HAA!" Cain threw the blades straight up in the air.  
  
"What bad aim!" Shiro mocked him. "You really think I'm up there."  
  
"Something else is!" Suddenly, it started to rain multicolor confetti.  
  
"What?" The announcer looked up. Suddenly, a large yellow ball fell to the sky and landed outside the ring. "HE HIT THE CONFETTI BALL!!!"  
  
"Is that your big plan?" Shiro still mocked. "Destroying the champion celebration ball?" He laughed even louder.  
  
Cain eyes narrowed. "I see you!" He shouted.  
  
"Huh?" Shiro looked at himself.  
  
Cain saw a big patch of floating confetti in the air. That patch of confetti was his opponent. "YAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" He ran towards it and started punching all the confetti. Loud blows can be heard as his fists of fury flew.  
  
"Suddenly, Cain is fighting again!" The announcer shouted. "But why can't we see any of it?! IT ISN'T FAIR!!!"  
  
Cain quick punching after the 20th blow and then dropped kicked the patch of confetti. It then flew to the ground. A loud crash is heard like someone had hit the arena wall.  
  
"Huh?" The announcer looked around. "What happened to Shiro?" Suddenly, a figure slowly flickered outside the ring,. After a few seconds, it became fully visible. It was Shiro. His mask has been tore, his face bloody, and eyes swollen shut. "There he is! And he's out of the ring! 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9..."  
  
Shiro opened his eyes. "Good move, kid..." He then shut them again.  
  
"10!!! The winner of the first match, Cain Leohart!!!" The crowd instantly booed him.  
  
Cain walked over to Shiro and looked over him. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah..." Shiro said weakly. "Go ahead... finish me..."  
  
Cain looked at him and smiled. "Nah... You put up a tough fight, old man. I'd say you deserve to live. Until our next fight!"  
  
Shiro opened his eyes. "I think I'll retire this business. I could use a break."  
  
"Right." He gave him thumbs up. "You're a tough fighter, Shiro. Sorry you're quitting."  
  
"It's been on list of things to do for a while." Shiro got up on his feet and started to walk towards the exit of the arena. He turned and looked at Cain. "Thanks for giving an old man a good fight. Good luck in the tournament." He turned and walked away.  
  
Cain yawned loudly. He walked over to the nearest wall and leaned against. He slid down and was now sitting up. He lowered his head.  
  
"Excuse me, Cain," The announcer ran over to him. "But you can't just sit and watch here, you can watch from the locker ro... huh?" Some loud roaring interrupted him. "Cain?"  
  
"..................." Cain was motionless, until... "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..." His thunderous snore roared though the arena. The announcer did an anime face fall.  
  
"HE'S ASLEEP?!?!" The crowd then started to anime style fall. "Well, this have never happened before..."  
  
Max and Monica both recovered from their face fall.  
  
"He defeated an invisible ninja!!!" Monica shouted. "And the next thing is does is take a nap?!"  
  
"Did you also see when he refused to end Shiro's life?" Max asked her. "Are you sure this guy is that dark force."  
  
"I don't know... I mean..." Monica looked towards the entrance to the locker room. "We still have 6 more people who could be it..."  
  
"Yeah...but still... there's something weird about that fighter Cain..." Max looked at Monica. "He could still be it."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
/As Cain peacefully rests just feet away from the ring, they are 6 more fighters who are ready to fight. Can he survive the rest of the tournament? And if he does, could he be the dark energy Max and Monica are really worried about?/  
  
START TEASER:  
  
Monica: {voice-over) It drawing to the end of the tournament! And Cain's next fight will be against the champion, Garr. Fire and energy will fly when these two fierce competitors step up to the ring. And it won't be an easy fight for either of them. These two equally powered fighters will give it there all for only one thing... the championship! Even I might get to fight in this tournament! You gotta read to find out though! Next Chapter...  
  
Garr vs. Cain  
  
Fire vs. Darkness  
  
Monica: Don't miss it! 


	3. Darkness vs Fire

/Max and Monica are now in Palm Brinks of the future. There, they are watching a dark event called the Tournament of Power, where one of the fighters could be the dark energy Griffon once had. In ring, a young, upcoming fighter named Cain won the first preliminary round and advanced into the tournament. He then went against Shiro, a 79 year-old ninja with a sneaky disappearing move. Thanks to some fast thinking, and some confetti, Cain was able to see Shiro, even with the trick used, and defeat him with a ring out. Now Cain rests near the ring, waiting for his next fight./  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Garr vs. Cain!  
Fire vs. Darkness!  
  
"zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..." Cain's loud snoring couldn't be heard over the cheering and banter of the Tournament fans and monster crowds. In the ring, a man-like bird monster with giant black wings was fighting, and winning against a red fire lizard monster. The announcer was there, as always.  
  
"And Birgon is flying towards Emberous at an amazing speed!!!" The announcer shouted.  
  
Birgon, he bird monster drew out a sword and tried to slash Emberous in half. But the lizard shot out of his mouth, a small fire ball. It hit Birgon and made him lose flight. His chest feathers caught on fire and he quickly beat it out with his talons. The lizard fired again, but this time, Birgon, dodged. The blaze flew towards the sleeping Cain.  
  
He move just enough so that the fire didn't hit him, but hit the wall. A tiny spark struck his hair and a little follicle's tip caught a slight ember. Cain slowly opened his eyes and used his thumb and fore finger to put it.  
  
"How's a guy supposed to get sleep 'round here?" He said tiredly.  
  
Birgon and Emberous stood on opposite sides of the ring. Birgon got ready to fly forth when a slight pain in his wing stopped him. "OW!!!" The bird crowed. He looked at his right wing and saw that a feather was missing. Standing outside the ring, Cain had in his hands a large feather.  
  
"Sorry, guy." He said. "Gotta borrow." He walked back to the wall. He folded up the wing to look like a pillow and rested his head on it.  
  
The bird growled in anger and looked at his opponent. A large fire ball hit him and sent him flying into the same wall Cain was resting by.  
  
"Birgon is outta the ring! I'll take a ten count! 1...2...3..."  
  
Birgon got up. "HEY!!! WAIT!!!" He tried to step followed but wasn't able to. Something was holding his tail feathers down. He looked down and saw Cain's foot was on top of them. Cain was peacefully asleep while sitting against the wall. "GET OFF MY FEATHERS!!!" He struggled to get free, but it was not use.  
  
"6...7...8...9... 10!!! Birgon has been counted out! The winner is Emberous!" The crowd cheered and whistled.  
  
"THAT'S NOT FAIR!!!" Birgon protested. He looked down again and saw Cain moved his foot. His feathers were now free. "You... little bast..." That was all he said when Cain, while still asleep, grabbed his neck and started to choke. "Ack...ack!"  
  
"Don't be shouting now..." Cain drowsily said. "The point is you lost, okay. You did your best, now unless you want every last one of your feathers plucked, you'll leave peacefully and let me go back to sleep. Okay?"  
  
"Kay..." Birgon was able to choke out."  
  
"Good..." Cain released his grip and Birgon started to walk towards the exit. Then run, the dash his way out of the arena. "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..." ________________________________________________________________________  
  
Up in the crowd, Max and Monica were still watching the fights.  
  
"Scratch Birgon out," Monica started to said to Max. "He would of killed Cain right there."  
  
"That leaves 6 possible suspects." Max replied. "What's the next fight?"  
  
Monica looked over at the board that the committee was changing. The next fight was the last bracket, "Rota vs. Bekkan." ________________________________________________________________________  
  
"Let's not waste any time!" The announcer shouted into his microphone. "Our next fighters, please come out!"  
  
On cue, 2 new fighters were walking towards the ring. One was a thin, shaggy looking, brown haired human. He wore a grey tank top and green shorts. The other a dark grey tiger man with piercing red eyes. They enter the ring.  
  
"Grrrrrrrrrrrr..." The tiger growled with an intimidating tone at the human. The human didn't even blink his green eyes.  
  
"Our next fight will, be the grey tiger, Bekkan, and the hunter, Rota!"  
  
"Kill off that human, Bekkan!" The crowd started to yell. "One human is too much! Kill off the other one, too!"  
  
"Ready... FIGHT!!!"  
  
Bekkan got on all fours and started to run towards Rota, ready to pounce. Rota didn't take a step anywhere. Bekkan leap into the air and was about to attack his opponent. Rota drew out a small, round, marble sized ball and threw into the tigers mouth. In about a second, the tiger exploded in a blast of fire and smoke. The tiny marble was actually a bomb. Rota still didn't take a step. The crowd instantly started booing.  
  
"Well, that was fast... But with weapons like that, who needs a long fight!!!" The announcer shouted excitedly.  
  
The human decided to not stay around. He looked towards the entrance towards the locker room and walked in it, without saying a word.  
  
Cain had one eye open through out the whole fight. He had a determined look on his face. ________________________________________________________________________  
  
It was near the end of Garr's battle against human sorcerer, Mathus. Garr flew into the sky and shot a large blast of fire out of his mouth and towards Mathus. The sorcerer used his magic to shoot a pillar of ice to counter the flames. The two energies met and mid-air and began trying to over power the other.  
  
"Garr's fire and Mathus ice are deadlocked right in the air!" The announcer screamed. "Which one will get through first?"  
  
After a while, the sorcerer fires another ice shot. This causes his energy blast to move closer towards Garr. He smiled confidently as he saw this. However, Garr energy pushed forward and flew towards Mathus. In a split second, the energy collided into Mathus and set him on fire. He screamed in agony as his skin burned away, revealing his skeleton. His bones turned to dust and blew away with the wind.  
  
"Heh...heh..." Cain chuckled as he watched. "Cool!"  
  
"Another incredible victory for the great champion, Garr!!!" The announcer exclaimed.  
  
"YEAH!!!" Garr shouted to his many fans in the audience. They all cheered and chanted his name. "Chalk up another for the Greatest Champ this world has ever seen!!!"  
  
"Yeah!" An audience member shouted. "Garr is the best there is!"  
  
"No one can beat him!" Another one said.  
  
"I will make sure that this title..." Garr holds up his championship belt with pride. "Stays in my hands!"  
  
The crowd cheered even more. The committee changed the board again. The next fights will be... Emberous Vs. Rota, and Cain Vs. Garr. ________________________________________________________________________  
  
Rota walked in the halls of the locker rooms. He walked up to Cain's locker room and looked at it. He had an expression of hatred and anger on his face as he stared.  
  
"Lookin' for me!" A voice shouted. Cain was walking towards Rota. "I know the secret of your little item tricks..." Rota looked at Cain curiously. "You using those cheap toys of your to distract all those idiots out there of your true power! You coulda blasted that tiger to Hell and back with just your energy! But instead, you used some bomb to kill im'. You know what I think... I think you got something to do with this jerk I'm after. Once I find im' I will kill him! But first... I'll kill you! Once we fight in the finals... You better not hold back cause I won't!"  
  
"You must first defeat Garr..." Rota finally spoke. "And I doubt you have the strength or the character to do that..." He walks away, further down the hall.  
  
"What's all this crap 'bout character?"  
  
"Oh my God!!!" A loud piercing voice shouted. Cain turned around and saw a teenage girl about his age with light blue hair standing behind him with a notepad. "You're that fighter everyone's talking about! Cain!"  
  
Cain wolf whistles at the young beauty, even though he focused more on her chest that was covered only in a bikini top. "What's a pretty girl like you doing in a hellhole like this?"  
  
"Will you sign me an autograph?"  
  
"Sure, baby..." She blushed deeply until she felt a tickle on her chest. She looked and saw Cain signing his name on her right breast. "Having a little trouble..." He grinned smugly. "Better hold it straight..."  
  
He then laid his hand on her breast. In a split second, her hand collided into his right cheek. After a loud "SLAP!" he had a red hand mark over his cheek. She stormed off in anger.  
  
"Prev!" She said with disgust."  
  
"I...wasn't finished..." He said in pain. "Can't blame a guy for trying..." ________________________________________________________________________  
  
"The time has come for the Semi-Finals!!!" The crowd roared with cheers and applauds as the announcer exclaimed what would happen next. "In moments, we will have the top 4 competitors dunking it out for advancement to the finals! Our first match will be Emberous vs. Rota! As you may know, the match with the champ in it will be the last match, so the last will be Cain vs. The Great Garr! And get this, Cain and Rota are both humans!!!" When he said that, the crowd booed. "Let's introduce our first 2 fighters!"  
  
Emberous and Rota walked towards the ring with serious looks on their faces. They enter the ring and stood on opposite sides, staring each other down. Rota reached into his pocket and pulled out 3 black marbles. Emberous face started to sweat when he saw the announcer raise his hand.  
  
"Ready..." The announcer lowered his hand and arm. "FIGHT!!!"  
  
Emberous wasted no time, he inhaled some air and fired several fireballs out of his mouth and towards Rota. Rota threw the 3 marbles at the fire and turned all of them in solid ice blocks. They fell to the ground and cracked the cement. Rota then ran towards Emberous and pulled from his pocket a blue marble this time. He threw it at the lizard and hit him in the stomach. Instantly, Emberous' body started to turn to ice and freeze him. Rota clenched his fist and punched his head clean off his shoulders. The ice that was the lizard them turned to shards and fall to the ground like broken crystals.  
  
"Another quick victory for the human Rota! He didn't even break a sweat during this one!"  
  
Rota turned away from the boos and jeers of the monster crowd and walked back into his locker room.  
  
"Okay! Now for the final match of the semi-finals! This will be champ vs. challenger! Let me first introduce the challenger... the human... CAIN!!!"  
  
Even louder boos rang through the crowd. Cain walked towards the ring cussing the fans who hated him. He even made some finger gestures that made them even more hateful. By the time he made it to the ring, the crowd had nearly been in a riot.  
  
"And now... Let's introduce the champion... the most powerful fighter in the world... the great one... Mr. Fire and Power himself... the one.. the only... GARR!!!"  
  
At the entrance, different colored laser beams and lights illuminated the area. A victorious fanfare blared as Garr walked towards the ring. The crowd cheered and hollered when he gave them his signature roar. He looked straight at Cain and gave an angry growl. Cain gave him an confident smile and a slow cut throat.  
  
"It's now time for the semi-finals... We bring to you, Cain vs. Garr! Fighters... ready... and..."  
  
Before he could finish, Cain arm started to glow black. "Time to end your title reign... and your life..."  
  
"FIGHT!!!"  
  
Cain's energy spread throughout his whole body. The aura of darkness rose to the sky. He rushed head strong towards Garr with both fists clenched tight and eyes burning with adrenaline. Just as he was about to throw the punch, Garr blocked it with his right arm. Cain threw another punch with his other fist, but Garr blocked that one with his left arm. He then kicked Cain in the midsection.  
  
"OOF!!!" Cain grunted from the attack. He then saw Garr's fist heading for his face. He blocked that with a cross arm guard. "Try this! AHH!!!" He started to rapidly punch Garr in the stomach. He threw some many punches at a great speed that Garr couldn't block.  
  
Garr grunted in pain with every punched landed. He finally stopped the assault wilt a powerful hay-maker punch that connected hard to Cain's face. Cain was knocked on his back and skidded about 5 feet away from Garr. The dragon rushed towards him and raised his foot above his head.  
  
"Garr want's to finish this!" The announcer shouted. "He's about to stomp on his opponent's head!"  
  
"Arrrrrrrr!!!" Garr brought his foot down to Cain's head. The fighter, however, caught his foot and stood up.  
  
"Have a nice ride!!!" Cain threw Garr by his foot towards the eastern wall. Garr was about to crash into it, until he used his huge wings to fly away the crash point and back towards Cain.  
  
"Brace yourself!!!" Garr clenched his fist for another hay maker punch. When he throw the blow, Cain used his right arm to block it. Garr tried to punch him again, but Cain blocked it. He kept punching will Cain kept blocking. All the blocking made Cain inch closer to the edge of the ring.  
  
"Garr is throwing punch after punch!" The announcer spoke. "But Cain has avoided each blow!"  
  
Cain was now on the edge of the ring. Just when Garr, still flying, threw another powerful strike, Cain fell to his back outside the ring. This means Garr was flying just over him. Cain delivered a powerful kick to the midsection and caused to lose flight and fall face first into the ground. Cain leapt back into the ring and prepared himself for another attack by the champ. ________________________________________________________________________  
  
Max and Monica were still watching the fight.  
  
"I don't get it..." Max spoke up.  
  
"What's wrong?" M\onica asked.  
  
"If that Cain guy can kill whole groups of monsters at once, why doesn't he just do that to Garr?"  
  
"Maybe he can't. He might of exhausted all his energy and can't use those attacks. Remember, the dark energy were after needs time to grow stronger, that's why we need to stop him here."  
  
"Or..." Max wondered. "Maybe it isn't Cain, it might be Garr, or Rota."  
  
"That's a possibility... all 3 of them got great strength. It's what their thinking that worries me right now..." ________________________________________________________________________  
  
Rota watched the right from the fighter's entrance. He saw Garr throw a volley of punches at Cain. But Cain was able to block all of them and counter with crescent moon kicks and jabs. Rota turned and walked further down he hall. A sinister smile crossed his face as he eagerly awaited his match with either Cain of Garr.  
  
"The time is near..." He said to no one but himself. ________________________________________________________________________  
  
Cain and Garr stood in the middle of the ring and exchanged punches in the face.  
  
"Cain and Garr are at a stalemate!" The announcer shouted to the fans. "Garr is punching Cain right in the face, but Cain counters with his own punches!!!"  
  
Garr then gave Cain a powerful gut punch that made him double over in pain. Cain regained his stance and uppercut his opponent's chin. Garr then grabbed Cain by the neck.  
  
"ACK!!!" Cain struggled to get free, but couldn't.  
  
"Say hi to the wall!!!" Garr hurled him into the arena wall.  
  
Cain used his reflexes to land feet first on the wall and spring back into the ring. "HA!!!" He flew into Garr gave him a powerful jab in the right cheek of the dragon. Cain landed next to Garr on his foot and knee.  
  
Garr had a trail of blood escape his mouth and onto the floor. The crowd went into a frenzy. "C'MON GARR!!! KILL THIS HUMAN SCUM FOR US!!!"  
  
Garr kicked Cain in the chest and knocked him out of the ring. "I've had it with you!!!" He opened his mouth and a small orb of fire grew in it.  
  
"This is it folks!" The announcer was excited. "Garr is gonna barbecue Cain into ashes!"  
  
Cain rose to his feet clutching his chest. "Go ahead and try!"  
  
Garr released the fire ball at Cain. He moved out of the way and the fire merely burned the grass. Cain stood atop the wall and just in front of the crowd. Garr fired again. This time, Cain scooped up a human woman in the crowd and jumped out of the way again. The fire burned a few monsters to their deaths and damages the wall.  
  
Cain landed 3 feet away from the destruction and held the woman next to him. "Don't worry... you're safe." He said reassuring. The woman nearly thanked him, until his hand found it's way to her behind and squeezed it.. She turned red with anger and slapped the fighter off the wall and on the grassy ground. "OOF!!!" He shouted when he fell face first.  
  
"PERVERT!!!" She shouted and took a new seat.  
  
"That's the thanks I get for saving you?" He shouted back. HE started to hear the announcer count and ran back to the ring with great speed.  
  
Garr prepared for him and fired a larger blast of fire that headed straight for him. "You can't escape from that!!!"  
  
"Not gonna!" Cain's right arm started to glow yellow. It then formed 3 blades. "BLADES OF LIGHT!!!" He threw the blades at Garr's blast and stopped it from going any further  
  
"The 2 fighter's energies are actually duking it out!!!" The announcer shouted.  
  
After a while both energies vanished and were gone.  
  
"AAAAAHHH!!!" Cain shouted a battle cry as he ran towards Garr.  
  
"ROOOOOOOAAAAAR!!!!" Garr roared as he ran towards Cain at the same time.  
  
In a split second, they were in the middle of the ring, viciously punching each other's head at a speed that could barely be seen. Drops of blood escape both fire's bodies and splattered to the ground.  
  
"I can't even count how many blows have been landed even from this view!!!"  
  
Garr gave on last gut punch that made Cain skid all the way to the edge. "AH!"  
  
Garr took the opportunity. "NOW I HAVE YOU!!!" His mouth formed an even larger blast of fire. He shot it at Cain and watched as it sped towards him  
  
"DAMMIT!!!" Cain cursed. He couldn't move out of the way in time or block it, but he sure wasn't going let it hit him. "I'll take more than my blades to block that..." He thought. "Or maybe..." Both his arms glowed yellow this time, to the shock of Garr. "BLADES OF LIGHT!!!" 6 blades formed at his arms. "YAAAAAAAH!!!" He threw all 6 of them and made contact with the fire. "Please hold it back!!!" The blades and the blaze were pushing each other back and forth. After a while the blades went right through the fire and towards Garr. But his fire was still heading for Cain. "OH... SH..." That was all he could say before the fire struck him and cast him and the area around him in a thick blaze. The fire was so thick, no one could even see him in it. The crowd went nuts with cheers.  
  
"Cain has been hit by fire blast!!!" The announcer exclaimed. "But what about his blades?"  
  
Cain's blades of light flew towards Garr. Before he can moved, 4 of them hit him and started to cut his shoulders, stomach, and leg. They didn't go through him, but they still cut him open. He screamed in agony and pain as they kept spinning. They disappeared and he fell on his back. The blades had left bloody cuts on the body parts they touched, but he was still alive. He rose to his feet and was panting.  
  
"Hah...Hah...Hah..." Garr breathed out. "He has to be dead... no human can survive that..." He smiled confidently at Cain's destruction. But he was soon shocked when he looked at the fire. "WHAT!!!"  
  
A shadow figure walk towards the outside of the fire. It was Cain. His body was slightly singed, his eye swollen shut, and the jacket he once wore was burnt and torn.  
  
"Too bad..." He started to say. "I really liked that jacket..."  
  
The crowds started to boo and jeer at him again. Garr was in disbelief.  
  
"How did you survive that..." Garr was both tired and nervous. He then smiled evilly. "Not bad... for a human..."  
  
"I'm amazed you survive my blades. But you won't this time!" Cain tried to gather some energy into his arms, but nothing happened. "What the..." He was interrupted by Garr's laughter.  
  
"Looks like you're outta energy... Maybe you can still swing your fists around..."  
  
"Like I need my blades to finish you off!"  
  
"You will..." Garr suddenly gathered electric energy in his left claw. In a few second, the energy stopped and a long spear was in his claws. "Hold still... I promise this will hurt!"  
  
Garr rushed towards Cain at full speed. Cain dove to the side to avoid the incoming spear tip. He scrambled away when Garr stabbed his spear into the ground after missing Cain. Cain leapt to his feet and ran away from the dragon while dodging the thrusts of the spear.  
  
"Garr...Garr...Garr...Garr!" The crowd wanted to see Cain dead, and they wanted to see Garr do the job.  
  
"I gotta get away from this freak!" Cain thought to himself. "No..." He stopped. "I don't..." Cain turned towards Garr and ran at him with his fists clenched and screaming his battle yell.  
  
Garr's eye glinted and he prepared to stab Cain. He and his opponent met in the middle of the ring and he drove his spear into Cain's stomach and out his back. Cain threw a powerful punch that connected to Garr's jaw. He heard a loud crack as the dragon's jaw shattered. Garr fell on his back and moaned in pain. Cain looked at the spear that what skewed. He careful grabbed the handle and pulled it out of his stomach. His blood dripped off the tip and onto the ground. He broke the spear into 2 pieces and threw it away.  
  
"Ow..." He merely said as he clutched his stomach. "Damn... that was dumb..." He looked towards the booing crowd. "I'm so tired... I can't think up a witty insult to you bastards..." He then heard Garr's fiery roar and looked towards him.  
  
Garr gave Cain a powerful head butt that sent him flying into the other side of the ring. He laid on his back with a bloodied forehead.  
  
"An amazing comeback!!!" The announcer screamed. "Garr had delivered his trademark Head Butt!"  
  
"Yeah..." Garr said. "No one can survive it... If the impact doesn't kill ya, then all that blood rushing out of your head will..." He saw Cain slowly rose to his knees and was shocked again. "Why won't you die!?"  
  
"Can anything kill this kid?" An audience member shouted.  
  
"Hah...Hah..." Cain was panting and had trouble breathing. "Who says it's my blood..." He wiped off the blood from his forehead and showed that his head wasn't cracked open as Garr had thought.  
  
"What?!" Garr felt his blood fall off his face. He had a large crack on his forehead. "How...did...you..." Garr started to fall to his knees and fell face first to the ground. His eyes turned back into his head to show he was dead.  
  
"I saw you were trying to do that attack to me... so I did a quick counter to crack your skull instead... you idiot... "Cain laughed. "You didn't even see it coming..." He rose to his feet and felt his head. "Still gonna give me a helluva headache tomorrow..."  
  
The crowd was yelling angrily at the murderer of their favorite champion. Cain was the most hated person in the whole arena. He didn't care, he had survived the toughest fight of his life, and felt good knowing his adversary was dead. Or so he thought.  
  
"The winner of this match..." The announcer started to shout. "Ca..." A loud roar interrupted him. "Huh?"  
  
"Don't tell me..." Cain saw that Garr was engulfed by dark flames. "You still alive?"  
  
Garr didn't saw a word he just charged towards Cain and tried to tear him apart with his claws. Cain however jumped into the air and away from Garr. He held out his hand towards him.  
  
"I gotta say..." Cain started to speak. "You surprise me. I never thought I had to do this." Cain's hand started to glow black and form a black ball in his palm. It grew larger.  
  
"WHAT IS CAIN GONNA DO NOW!?!?!?" The announcer jumped out of the ring and hid behind the stone.  
  
"Seeya in Hell." Cain said with a smile.  
  
He fired the energy at Garr and watched as it hit the dragon. The blast nearly destroyed the entire ring, all that was left was a few still impact tiles and cracked stone. Garr was now nothing but dust in the wind.  
  
"Hmm..." The announcer looked as Cain landed on the ground. "Well it's safe to say Garr isn't coming back... so the winner is Cain!"  
  
The crowd was unbelievably silent. Not a word was said or muttered.  
  
"'Bout time they shut up!" Cain looked at his bloody battle wound on his stomach. "Better start fixing this up." The wound started to slowly, but unnoticeably, close up.  
  
"Before we can start the next match... CREW!!!" The announcer shouted and a team of crew members ran to the ring. "Fix this mess!!! And make it quick!!!" The crew immediately started to clean up the rubble and build a whole new ring.  
  
"Looks like I get a little rest..." Cain walked to the wall and fell asleep, resting for the final match of the tournament against Rota. ________________________________________________________________________  
  
After a while, the ring was all fixed and the next fight was almost ready to start. Cain, battle wound healed, was already in the ring, waiting for his next opponent.  
  
"It has all come down to this!!!" The announcer exclaimed. "We had over hundreds, than just 8, now only 2! But only one will become the champion!!! The final match... first, the man who was able to defeat the former champion, Garr..." The crowd immediately booed. "The human... No! The fighter... CAIN LEOHART!!!" The boos were louder than ever. "And the man who had had quick victory after quick victory... Rota!!!"  
  
The crowds' eyes all fell on the entrance. No one arrived however.  
  
"What?" Cain was puzzled.  
  
"Uh... PLEASE WELCOME THE HUNTER, ROTAAAAAAAAA!!!" Still no one arrived. "Um...uh...er... The one...the only... ROTA!!!" At last someone did come. A member of the committee. He ran over to the announcer and whispered in his ear. "What do you mean Rota's missing!?"  
  
The crowd was now muttering in confusion. No competitor has ever simply left the arena before a match.  
  
"Well..." The announcer started. "I guess if you can't find him..."  
  
"I'm the champ by default!!!" Cain shouted excitedly.  
  
"Well... yeah I...guess so..."  
  
The crowd was now shouting in protest. "We'll never let a HUMAN be our champion!!!" "Find a new opponent!!!" "HE HAS TO EARN IT!!!"  
  
Cain was now getting furious. His short patience had dealt with the boos of the crowd for long enough. "SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" His voice rang through the now silent arena. "IF YOU ASSHOLES WANT ME TO FIND A NEW OPPONENT... THEN SHUT THE HELL UP AND GET DOWN HERE AND FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN INSTEAD OF BITCHIN' ABOUT IT!!! YOU ALL WANT ME DEAD? THEN GO AHEAD... TRY TO KILL ME!!!"  
  
The crowd was silent. No one budge or spoke. Only a few mutters could be heard. "Why don't you go and fight him?" "Are you crazy?" "You said you could tear him apart!" :That was BEFORE he killed Garr."  
  
"Grrrrr..." Cain was still angry. "You're all cowards!!! I don't care who or what the hell you are! Get down here and fight me!" ________________________________________________________________________  
  
"He's really gone mad..." Max started to say to Monica. "He really wants to fight."  
  
"Now's our chance!" Monica leapt from the crowd and onto the grass.  
  
"MONICA!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Max shouted.  
  
Monica ran to the ring and looked at Cain. "Hey, Cain!"  
  
Cain turned and looked at Monica. "Damn..." He thought. "She hot."  
  
"You said you'd fight anyone fight? Well what about me?"  
  
"You?" Cain asked incredulously. "Ya sure about that? I might kill ya."  
  
Monica looked at Max. "I'll fight for a long as I can." She said. "You can finish him if I fall."  
  
"Monica..." Max said with a smile. "Good luck!"  
  
Monica smiled and winked at her friend. She looked at Cain again. He was cracking his knuckles.  
  
"Finally..." He said with a cocky smile. "My lungs were starting to hurt from all that shouting. Okay... I accept your challenge!"  
  
/With Rota missing and no one else to fight, Cain will square off against Monica in the final round. Will she be able to defeat Cain, and will he show himself as the dark energy she and Max after looking for. Or is there more to this fighter than it seems?/ ________________________________________________________________________  
  
START TEASER:  
  
Max: {voice-over} Monica will have her hands full in this next fight. And so will Cain... you'll see what I mean... He better not hurt Monica... I got the Grade Zero handy and ready to destroy him once and for all! Finally! The dark energy shows it's true form! But will me and Monica be enough to destroy it? Next chapter...  
  
Cain vs. Monica  
  
True Form Exposed! 


	4. True From Exposed

/Tournament fighter, Cain Leohart, has fought his way to the top. After defeating the ninja Shiro, he was up against the Champion Garr. It was a bloody, violent fight, and Cain was fighting his hardest, as was Garr, After surviving multiple flame blasts, a stab in the stomach, and a powerful head butt, Cain finished off the dragon with a enormous dark energy blast. He was now ready for his next fight, but his next opponent, Rota, disappeared./  
  
Chapter 4:  
  
Cain vs. Monica  
  
True Form Exposed!  
  
Monica and Cain both stood at opponent ends of the ring. Monica had a serious look on her face, but Cain didn't seem worried, nor threatened. In fact, he was looking forward to this fight. The committee, however, were uncertain to allow such a match to happen. The crowd was getting more and more inpatient and restless. They chanted that both fighters be removed from the ring.  
  
"This'll be a great fight..." Cain started to say. "If they can let it happen..." The chants of the crowd started to aggravate him. "Ya can't even hear yourself think with these idiot bastards screaming like that! Can't they shut up for 2 seconds? Damn! Buncha idiots! Won't be satisfied 'til a monster tears a human to shreds..."  
  
The committee was especially worried. They didn't know whether to allow the match or to forbid it. They began to talk among each other.  
  
:If we don't allow this to happen..." One started to say to his partners. "The crowd'll wreak the entire arena."  
  
"But..." Another spoke. "If we do, that means we'll have a human champion. And everyone here hates humans. They'll destroy the entire city!"  
  
"We're damn if we do and damn if we don't..."  
  
Monica looked towards the committee. "Doesn't really matter what they think..." She thought. "I still gotta take this guy down."  
  
Cain started to think. "Boy, I hope they let me do this. It'll be fun to fight a chick for once! Not only that, a hot, human chick!"  
  
A monster in the front row started to speak. "Personally, I don't care who's champ. As long as there are bloody fights, I'm happy!"  
  
The monster next to him started to agree. "Well, we did come her to see humans kill each other right?"  
  
"I say we just enjoy da blood shed!" Another monster shouted.  
  
Soon all the monsters began to shout and cheer for the fight to go on.  
  
"Ha..." Cain scoffed. "Monster fans are so stupid. 2 fights ago, they wanted me dead, now they wanna see a bloodshed between humans? Buncha freaks! Everyone of 'em wants to see a human die in front of them!"  
  
Monica heard this and knew it wasn't true. She recalled when she first turned into a monster...   
  
Max and Monica stood in the Rainbow Butterfly Woods. Monica had in her hands the Flora Monster Badge.  
  
"With this badge, Max..." She started to say. "I can transform into a Himarra and get a Sundrop from one of them."  
  
"Are you sure about this?" Max said with concern. "What if they try to attack you?"  
  
"I'll be fine. I'll get it done in just a minute or so..." As she was about to put the badge on, she turned to Max with a pink blush on her face. "Uh... could you... turn around for a minute? You see when I use this, I'll uh... be... just for a second..."  
  
Max was blushing too. "I...I understand..." He turned around took a few steps away from her. They both knew that for a second, Monica would be completely naked during the transformation process. "Go ahead!"  
  
Monica put the badge on her shirt and a bright light surrounded her, after a minute, she was now a Himarra monster. "You can turn around..." She said in a weird new voice. Max looked at her. "How do I look?"  
  
Max smiled. "For a monster, you don't look so bad." He and Monica both started to laugh.   
  
Monica remembered the times when monsters said they didn't wish to fight anyone, and that they wanted peaceful lives. Clearly, none of those monsters were in this arena.  
  
One of the members of the committee stood up. "We have reached a decision!" He shouted towards the fan base.  
  
"Hope it's the right one..." Max thought nervously.  
  
"We have decided..." He raised his hand. "The match will be..." He gave the thumbs up. "ALLOWED!!!"  
  
The entire arena roared with cheers. The announcer stood up and shouted into his microphone. "Okay!!! We have a fight!!! On one side, the human... no! Fighter who defeated Garr in the last match! The incredible, the powerful, the talented... ladies and gentlemen... THE FIGHTER CAIN LEOHART!!!" Something unexpected happened. The crowd were cheering. "And in the other corner... uh..." He ran up to Monica. "Could we have a name?" He whispered to her.  
  
"Monica Raybrandt." She said proudly.  
  
"Miss Mon..." The announcer was shocked. "MONICA RAYBRANDT!?!?!? PRINCESS MONICA RAYBRANDT!?!?!?"  
  
The arena was silent. No one there could believe who was standing in the ring right now.  
  
Cain smiled and chuckled. "A celebrity... in this very ring... about to fight me. Talk about luck."  
  
"Well uh..." The announcer regained his senses and continued the introduction. "On the side, a young lady who needs no introduction! The beautiful Princess, and warrior, MONICA RAYBRANDT!!!" The audience cheered again. "TAKE YOUR POSITIONS!!!"  
  
"If I had a dime for every time I thought THAT when I was around a woman!" Cain thought to himself and laughed. He walked to the middle of the ring, as did Monica. "Just so you know," He said to her. "Just cause you're a girl, cute, and royalty, that don't mean I'm gonna be easy on ya. I don't give mercy, or take it! You better hit me with all ya got! And ya better do it quick!"  
  
"Fighters..." The announcer started.  
  
"I don't need or want mercy!" Monica replied to Cain's comment. "I can get along without it!"  
  
"Just a quick warning..." Cain said.  
  
"Ready..." The announcer shouted in the air. "FIGHT!!!"  
  
Monica and Cain both jumped away from each other at the same time. They also ran towards each other at the same speed and time.  
  
"It's now or never..." Cain thought,  
  
Monica drew out her sword and raised it over her head. "Haaaaaaaaa..." Suddenly, Cain's hand was extended. He quickly laid it down on her left breast and squeezed it. Monica's face turned red with embarrassment. "HUH?!?!?" She used her sword handle to knock Cain away. She stopped running and covered her chest with her arms. "YOU PERVERT!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!?!?"  
  
Max watched the whole thing. "That was a mistake..."  
  
Cain rose to his feet and laughed victoriously. "I did it... I did it!"  
  
"DID WHAT!?" Monica shouted.  
  
"My life long dream..." Cain grinned. "I never thought I could do it... I, Cain Leohart, has done the one thing people have dreamed of doing... I GRABBED THE LEFT BREAST OF THE FAMOUS PRINCESS MONICA!!!" In his head, trumpets were sounding a loud fanfare. He looked towards the crowd and saw Max. "Course, I might not be the first one to do it. That guy ya came with probably done it a million times."  
  
Max's face turned red and he started to sweat.. "W-What?"  
  
Monica was full of rage. "What kinda dream is that!? Grabbing my left breast?"  
  
"Well..." Cain started to explain. "I'm right-handed, so naturally, I'd go after the left breast. Course, a fighter does switch dominant hands at times, so I coulda used my left hand and grab the right breast..." At that point Monica ran towards Cain and tried to slash him in two with her sword. He moved out of the way and ran behind. "Here's the other dream..." He took both hands and grabbed her rear. Monica was mortified. "Maybe I shoulda just used both hands and grab the entire chest?" Monica slashed her blade and hit Cain in the stomach and knocked him down on the ground. He skidded out of the ring. Cain poked his head over the ring. "I love a women who could kick my ass..."  
  
"Cain has been knocked outta the ring!" The announcer shouted. "1...2..."  
  
Cain jumped back into the ring and ran towards Monica with great speed. Monica prepared to block any attacks with her sword, but Cain instead jumped and flipped over her. When we landed behind her, he drop kicked her and knocked her down. Cain tried to punch Monica while she was on the ground, but she rolled out of the way and countered with sword slash that scratched down Cain's right arm. He backed off and punched her in the stomach. He then walked behind her and put her in a sleeper hold.  
  
"Time to go night-night..." He said.  
  
"Uhhhhh..." Monica front flipped on the ground and knocked Cain away with a double kick to the chin.  
  
Cain felt his chin. "So you're a flexible girl?" Cain grinned smugly. "I like bendy girls..." Monica grew even more angry and ran towards him. Cain's eyes bugged out. "Huh?" In a split second, Monica was slashing her sword wildly in angry. Cain had to be quick on his feet to dodge the swipes. Her kept backing away and ducking and dodging until he heard something he didn't expect.  
  
"Monica! Monica! Monica!" The crowd began to chant her name and cheer.  
  
"HEY!!!" Cain was annoyed. "You guys must really hate me!" He didn't realized he stopped for a second. Monica stabbed her sword through his stomach. He looked at the sword in his body and at Monica. "Ow... Not again..." The crowd cheered even louder. "Ah...Shaddup..." He simply backed away at the sword was out of his stomach. "You're pretty serious bout this."  
  
"Of course I am." Monica said. "This is a fight to the death!"  
  
"It is?" Cain scratched his head. "Then I guess I can do this!" Cain kneed Monica in the chest and picked her up over his head. "HHHHHHYA!!!" He started to spin her around. He kept doing it faster and faster until she was just a spinning blur. "Getting' dizzy? Well..." Cain's eyes became the anime dizzy sign. "So am I..." He started to wobble until he threw Monica straight in the air. He felt to the ground in a sitting position and was completely dizzy.  
  
Monica came flying back to the ring, however, she wasn't dizzy. Instead, she was charging up for a fire blast. "Try this one!!!" She threw the fire ball at Cain.  
  
"Maybe...I...didn't...do...right?" He thought while still dizzy. The fire ball crashed into him and exploded on his head.  
  
Monica landed safely on the ground. She watched the smoke around Cain clear and saw she had blasted his head clear off his shoulders. The crowd went into a crazed frenzy.  
  
"What an attack!" The announcer exclaimed. "Cain is now sans a head. I guess he lost this one..." Before he could finish. Cain popped his head up from inside his collar. "Forget what I said! Cain just hid in his shirt while all this happened!"  
  
Cain shook his head quickly. "That was close one..." He looked at Monica. So ya wanna throw fire around like that? Okay!" He gathered some energy in his fight hand and formed a yellow ball. "This is called the surprise ball. Don't let hit the ground!"  
  
"Why?" Monica asked.  
  
"That's the surprise!" He pitched the ball towards Monica.  
  
Monica fired another fireball to bounce the ball back to Cain. He jumped to his feet, and batted it back with his fist. Monica grabbed her sword and went into a batter's stance to hit the ball. Cain bounced it back with his head.  
  
"What's this?" The announcer said. "This fight has turned into a innocent ball game?"  
  
Monica hit back again. Cain then kicked it higher in the ground. He jumped up high and spiked it down. It flew towards Monica. She prepared to hit it back, but it traveled to fast and was about hit the ground.  
  
"Monica!!!" Max quickly jumped from the crowd and ran as fast as he could to Monica. Before the ball hit, he pushed her away and they landed outside the ring. The ball exploded and demolished half the ring. Max had found himself on to top of Monica. "Oops!" He said sheepishly and got off her.  
  
Cain landed on outside the ring. "Hey! You can't help her! That's against the rules!"  
  
"He's right." The announcer said. "I'll have to disqualify...": They was a rumble throughout the entire city. "What?"  
  
The crowd stands began to collapse. While most of the fans escaped, some were crushed by the rubble. The entire arena cracked and collapsed. Soon all that was left was dust and broken stone. Among a dust cloud stood a dark figure. It walked closer towards Max and Monica.  
  
"Cain revealed his true form!" Monica shouted as she drew out her weapon.  
  
"Let's go Monica!!!" Max drew out his hammer.  
  
"Hey..." Another person said. Max and Monica turned around and saw someone trapped under some rubble. It was Cain. "A little help?"  
  
"Wait!!!" Max exclaimed. If that's Cain... then..." They all looked at the dark figure. The dust settled and they all saw the true Dark Energy that they had been after this whole time.  
  
The person applauded. "Well done..." The man smiled evilly. "No one would suspect that anyone other than that fool Cain was the bad guy." The person clapping and smiling... was Rota.  
  
"I knew it!" Cain cleared off the rocks off him and stood up. "You were the one who led me here! You're the reason I'm here! Nice to see ya again... Griffon!"  
  
Max and Monica were surprised that Cain knew who Griffon was. Rota laughed sinisterly.  
  
"So it is you, Cain Leohart." He said. "I knew I'd remember you."  
  
Cain recalled the incident that happened 2 years ago.   
  
A younger Cain was fighting against a powerful figure in the dark woods of Sindain. Cain was punching the figure rapidly in the chest while dodging the sword swipes that the figure was using.  
  
( Cain: I remember you were in a different body. And you challenged me to a fight. I refused, but you decided to attack anyway.)  
  
Cain ended up getting sliced in the wrist. Blood escaped it as he tried to cover it with his other hand. The figure lifted Cain by the neck.  
  
( Rota: Your power was insignificant compared to mine. It took me only a matter of minuets to defeat you.)  
  
The figure threw Cain against a tree. Cain's back cracked to pieces as he hit the thick tree with great force. He slid to the ground and was laying on the ground. The figure walked towards him with his sword drawn. He stood over Cain and pointed the sword above his chest.  
  
"You have been defeated." The figure said. "All that's left is to hear your final scream of agony."  
  
"Do your worst!!!" Cain shouted back. "I ain't gonna scream..."  
  
"Everybody screams... the only question is... What will you say?"  
  
The figure drove the sword into Cain's chest. Cain gritted his teeth to hold back his screams. The figure stabbed him again. "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"   
  
"I was pretty damn weak back then..." Cain said. "But now I'm gonna kick your ass!"  
  
Rota shook his head. "You aren't worth my time." Rota extended his hand flew Cain, Max, and Monica away with his energy. "I've become much more powerful than ever. But don't worry..." He snapped his fingers.  
  
The ground rumbled again. Everyone looked to the north. "What's that?" Max asked.  
  
A giant beast dog walked towards Rota. It was as half as big as the arena was. It's fur was dark black and it had 3 heads. Each with incredibly red eyes and sharp teeth.  
  
"That's...a...Cerberus!" Monica shouted.  
  
The beast dog roared loudly and stared at the 3 teens.  
  
"Have fun with them, my pet." Rota said. With that, Rota disappeared.  
  
"Dammit..." Cain said. "And to think, I just wanted to fight in a tournament..."  
  
/Now that Max and Monica had finally found the dark energy, they must now fight against a evil Cerberus. Can they, along with Cain, be able to defeat this creature and find Rota? Or has their time run out?/   
  
START TEASER:  
  
Cain: [voice-over] Okay... ya guessed. I ain't that evil force that Max and Monica have been after. Yeah...big surprise there. So now the real Griffin had decided to decided to run like a coward! I hope he's reading this... I'm gonna kick your ass!!! But first I'll take on this Cerberus single handedly. Okay... maybe I could use some help. Next Chapter...  
  
The Goddess of Time  
  
Cain: Judging by the title, a hot chick's gonna be in this chapter. I'm  
lookin' forward for it!!!" 


	5. Goddess of Time

/As the tournament continued, Cain's next opponent, Rota, was nowhere to be found. Eager for a battle, he accepted the challenge given to him by Princess Monica. The match would have ended in a disqualification after Max interfered, but instead the true dark energy showed itself. Rather that Cain as Max and Monica had thought, it was Rota. And now they find themselves staring at a giant Cerberus, can they beat it and stop Rota?  
  
Chapter 5:  
The Goddess of Time  
  
Cain, Max, and Monica were in the sights of a growling, and snarling Cerberus, that was prepared to attack them at anytime.  
  
"Rota got away..." Monica said.  
  
"But he left us a little gift..." Max replied.  
  
Cain just laughed. "You guys think this little puppy'll hurt us?" He laughed even more.  
  
"Puppy?" Max and Monica said at the same time.  
  
"This runt looks like he's been spayed a few times!" Cain shouted. "And I bet he ain't even house-broken!" The beast growled at him. "Ohh... am I making the puppy mad? Am I? Oh... Maybe I should get a rolled up newspaper to defend myself! Go on! Go play dead or chase a cat! Or better yet... "Cain gathered some dark energy in his left palm. "Get ready to be blown to hell!" Just as he was about to throw the energy ball, the Cerberus threw back his head and began to growl.  
  
"What's goin' on?" Max asked Monica. He saw she was backing away.  
  
"We better..." Monica started to say. Just then, the Cerberus looked at them and opened his mouth. "RUN!!!" Max and Monica both got out of the way.  
  
"Huh?" Cain just stood still. A strange black slime came out of the Cerberus' mouth and hit Cain. He was knocked into a wall and was stuck to it. The slime spread throughout around him and covered his body. "The hell is this!?" Cain shouted as he tried to break free. "Is this vomit?! Damn!!! You sick as hell!"  
  
"That's the Cerberus' special move." Monica told Cain. "His saliva is so sticky, that you can't get out of it, or unstuck from the wall."  
  
"You see... that would have been nice to now..." Cain then shouted. "BEFORE I GOT STUCK!!!"  
  
The Cerberus was about to use the slime again, but Max saw it.  
  
"Look out!" He pushed Monica out of the way. When the Cerberus spat, it only hit the ruined ring. Max drew out his Grade Zero. "I'll go for the body! Can you slice off the heads?"  
  
"Right!" Monica drew out her sword and they both ran towards the beast.  
  
"Hey..." Cain groaned. "What about me?"  
  
Max ran up to the monster and ran to the side. He drew out the Grade Zero and jumped towards the monster's ribcage. He smashed it really hard and caused the demon dog to roar in pain. Monica leapt in the air and was able to slice off the left head. The head fell to the ground and burned away. Monica landed on the ground with a skid and leapt again. But this time, Cerberus used his other head to knock her back down. She crashed on the stone floor.  
  
The Cerberus then inhaled some air and fired a breath of flames at Monica. She used her sword to block the flames, she got up and took a few steps back. Soon, the heat of the sword was burning her hands.  
  
"Monica!" Max kicked a block of the ring towards her. She ducked behind it and was covered from the fire. Max then jumped in below the beast's right head and jumped straight up. He swung his wrench and smashed the beast in the jaw. This cause him to stops the flames for a moment. "DO IT NOW!!!"  
  
Monica got up and leapt from off the stone towards the head. She did a vertical slash and sliced the right head in half. It burned away and left only one left, the true head. She landed next to Max and prepared to jump again. Before she could ace, the beast leapt into the air and crashed into the earth, causing violent vibrations. Max and Monica were knocked out of the ring and hit the grassy outside.  
  
"Darnit!" Max shouted. "He's getting stronger. He saw the eyes of the monster turn blood red and roar in fury. It charged up for another fire blast and shot a ball of fire at the 2 heroes. They quickly got out of the way, but Max still got singed in the back. "AHHH!!!: He crashed to the ground.  
  
"Max!' Monica helped up her friend and ran as fast as she could away from the steady flows of fire from the Cerberus.  
  
Cain watched as a blast of fire was heading for him. "WHOA!!!" He struggled to get freed, but ended up getting hit. When the flames died out, he was completely burn. He coughed out a puff of blast smoke. "Okay... that's it!" He got his left arm free and created 3 blades around it. "BLADES OF LIGHT!!!" He flung them into the side of the beast, but they harmlessly bounced off and heading back towards him. "Oh crap!!!" The blades sliced the rock on the sides and bottom, and fortunately missed Cain. "Phew..." Suddenly, the piece of wall he was stuck to fell back and slid down the hill the arena was set on. "Damn!": He rolled downhill until he made it to the lake. He sunk down under water.  
  
Max pulled out his nearly reloaded mech gun and fired a volley of bullets at the monster. The bullets didn't even harm the Cerberus' hard skin. Monica was on top of the monster's back and tried to stab her sword in its head. But the sword couldn't cut the skin and bounced off.  
  
"His skin is now harder than stone!" Monica shouted. She then jumped off the monster and avoided the fire from its mouth. "Our only choice is too attack it's inside." She charged up her magic. "Try to lure it towards me, Max..."  
  
"Got it!" Max ran to the beast. He hit its foot and ran towards Monica again. The Cerberus looked at him and opened his mouth, ready to fire. Max ducked down and Monica fired her magic. It flew inside the beast's mouth and he roared in agony as it hit his stomach. "It's working!" The monster quickly regained his senses and fired anther shot of fire at Max. He quickly dashed away and blocked the fire with his wrench.  
  
Monica threw several magic shots at the monster's mouth and hurt it every time. "How you holding, Max?"  
  
"I can't do this for too much longer..." Max shouted back. "H-Hurry..."  
  
"Here I come!!! You freak!!!" A voice rang out of nowhere. Cain jumped from over the wall and was standing in front of the Cerberus. The water from the lake had washed the saliva away and freed him. "You really pissed me off sticking to me to that wall!" He shouted. "BLADES OF LIGHT!!!" 3 blades formed at his left arm and he threw it into the mouth of the beast. They cut though the roof of his mouth and out the back of his head.  
  
The Cerberus slammed its head down on Cain and Max, but they both moved out of the way and ran near Monica. It spun its head wildly and painfully.  
  
"Looks like he's dazed!" Max said. "We can finish him off!"  
  
"Cain..." Monica said. Cain looked at her. "We'll need you to fire a energy blast into his mouth. That should be enough to kill him."  
  
"I been firing Dark Energy all day!" Cain said. "It'll take a long time to charge up for another blast! Ya gotta keep 'im busy for a while!"  
  
"We can do that!" Max said. "Just get as much energy as you can.  
  
"On it!" Cain started to gather energy to his right hand. "Gimme a minute... It'll be done by then!"  
  
Max and Monica ran to the best and started to fire bullets and magic at him. They dodged the flames and stood their ground when he slammed into the ground. Max's threw his Grade Zero at the best and hit him in the head, stunning him. He then grabbed it and started to pound it into his skull. The pain was great, but it didn't shatter the bone. Monica stabbed her sword into its throat and backed away, as did Max. The Cerberus grew even more furious. He tightened his neck to send the sword flying out of his neck. He was about to breathe fire on them, when Cain shouted at him.  
  
"Eat this, jerk!!!" He gathered a large ball of energy over his head. The Cerberus looked at him and fired a fireball. It hit Cain in the chest, causing him to take a step back. "Uhhh... YAH!!!!" He threw the energy at the monster and it flew into his mouth.  
  
"GRRRRRROARRRRRRRR!!!" The Cerberus stumbled around and cried in pain, thrashing its head around. The beast's body started to become engulfed in flames that burned brighter than a regular fire. It roared in anguish as it collapsed to the ground.  
  
"Looks like it's down..." Max said.  
  
"Hell yeah!" Cain shouted. "No one messes with Cain Leohart and lives!"  
  
The beast slowly disappeared. A loud crumbling noise could be heard.  
  
"What's that?" Monica asked.  
  
Suddenly, the ring crumbled to pieces right under the 3 teens' feet. They fell on the grassy ground.  
  
"That wasn't so bad." Max said.  
  
The ground then suddenly broke away and caused the teens to fall into a dark abyss. They screamed as they fell until they hit a softer ground. Cain landed on his back.  
  
"Owwww..." He groaned. "My ass is busted..."  
  
Max also landed on his back several feet away from Cain. Monica kept falling until she landed on top of Max. She looked down and saw that Max's face was buried in her chest.  
  
She gasped and quickly rose to her feet. Her face was completely red with embarrassment. "S-s-sorry..."  
  
Max arose with a blushing face as well. "It's okay..." He said quickly.  
  
Cain leapt to his feet and looked around. "The hell are we?" At the moment, several torches lit up on their own to illuminate the room. "That can't be good..."  
  
"Could this had been under the ring this whole time?" Monica wondered as she looked around.  
  
"It might be a secret shrine." Max suggested.  
  
"What ever it is," Cain said with frustration. "There better be someone who can get me outta here." He looks forward and his jaw dropped open and he started to drool. He smiled. "Okay, scratch off that last remark..."  
  
Cain was looking towards an altar where a beautiful, brown haired woman was laying. She was sleeping, but what Cain noticed most about her was that she was naked.  
  
"Who's that?" Max said.  
  
"Dunno..." Monica replied.  
  
Cain smiled excitedly. "She hot and naked..." He ran towards the stairs at full speed and ended up stopping just feet away from them. Something knocked him back. "The hell is this?!?!" He pounded his fist against the force that held him back.  
  
A green force field materialized in front of him. Max and Monica both walked up.  
  
"It's a force field." Max said.  
  
"No force field'll keep me from that chick!" Cain started to ram the barrier down, but it was too powerful. "Damn! Now my arm hurts!!!"  
  
In a second, the barrier cracked apart and broke away. The pieces all vanished away. Cain, Monica, and Max looked at the stairs leading to the altar.  
  
"Yeah!!!" Cain exclaimed. "I broke it!!!" He ran up the stairs with great speed until he was just over the woman. "She's so... hot... and... hot... and...beuti...hot..." He saw that she started to breath slightly. "Maybe if a man kisses her, she'll wed him, or at least go all the way." He puckered up his lips and lean down towards the woman. Suddenly her hand rose up and grabbed him by the throat. "ACK!!!" In a swift motion the woman threw him down the stairs. He grunted in pain as his body hit the floor. "Ow... that was unexpected..."  
  
The woman's eyes flickered open and she rose up. He long, brown hair fell and just hovered above the ground. She looked towards the 3 teen and asked a simple question. "Who awoken me?"  
  
"That was me!!!" Cain leapt to his feet and ran back up the stairs. "I was the one who has awaken you my fair, beautiful, sexy maiden..." He puckered his lips again, but she grabbed his throat again.  
  
"Keep your lips away from me..." She said annoyed. "This is not the way a person chosen by the Atlamillias should act."  
  
"Atlamillias?" Cain said. "The hell are those?"  
  
The woman was surprised. "You mean you aren't the one with the power to break the barrier Griffon had me trapped in?"  
  
Cain was staring at her body. "Uh.... What you say?" The woman became angry and started to punch and kick Cain. "OW! AH! HEY!!! THAT HURTS!!!"  
  
"TAKE YOUR EYES OFF MY BODY AND LOOK AT MY FACE!!!" She pushed him of the stairs and watched him roll down in and hit the floor again. She noticed Max and Monica. "Oh? Then..." She walked up to Max, whose face was blushing a bright red. "Was it you?"  
  
"Um...uh...um..." Max was getting redder as she got closer to him.  
  
Monica noticed Max's goofy face and got a little annoyed. "What's wrong with your face, MAX?" She ran over to him and pulled his hat over his eyes. She looked at the woman. "Do you mine putting some clothes on?"  
  
"Hmmm?" The woman looked at herself. "Oh! How rude of me." A bright light appeared around her body. In a second, a bright blue cloak covered her.  
  
"Dammit..." Cain said in pain. "I thought I'd make it to second base, but I'm out again..."  
  
"I must thank the two of you for releasing me from the evil barrier." The woman continued. "I am Arisa."  
  
"Wait a minute..." Monica interrupted. "You're Arisa? The Goddess of Time!?"  
  
Arisa nodded. "Yes. I am."  
  
"Goddess of Time?" Max questioned.  
  
"She's the one who has control over time." Monica explained. "But I heard that she was just a myth."  
  
"Who said that?" Arisa was frustrated. "I'm as real as you, him, and that guy on the floor!"  
  
Cain laughed stupidly. "She noticed me at least."  
  
"I was forced into this barrier years ago by that monster known as Griffon."  
  
Cain jumped to his feet. "Griffon? That jerkass?"  
  
"Yes... that 'jerkass' as you put him trapped me here. He stole my powers and sealed them in 12 powerful talismans that will grant anyone who holds one the power inside. They can either be used peacefully, as they should, or be used to create havoc, terror, and other unpleasant things like that."  
  
"That must be how Griffon did all that damage in the past!" Max suggested.  
  
"Yes..." Arisa frowned. "And because of my lack of power, I can't do anything against him. Which is why... you two... the ones chosen by the Atlamillias, must get them back for me. Please tell me your names.  
  
"Name's Maximillain." Max introduced himself.  
  
"My name is Princess Monica Raybrandt." Monica said with a bow.  
  
"And I am Cain Leohart!" Cain got up and walked to Arisa. "And what I wanna know is this... When you say you're a goddess... does that mean you can see all?"  
  
"Well..." Arisa thought for a second. "Anything that involves time travel and.. HEY!!!" While she was speaking, Cain was stroking her behind. She quickly turned around and punched the top of his head.  
  
Cain was stunned for a second and fell face first to the ground. "Even the pain was worth it..."  
  
"Is that..." Arisa pointed to Cain. "With you?"  
  
"Unfortunately... yes..." Monica said.  
  
"He helped us against the Cerberus." Max commented. "And he has some sorta beef with Griffon."  
  
"Well keep him away from my butt!" Arisa said.  
  
Cain laughed stupidly. "She said butt... A goddess said butt."  
  
"So where can we find these Talismans?" Max asked Arisa.  
  
"Griffon has scattered them somewhere in this time. But I don't know where all them are hidden. But I do know where the first one is. Balance Valley..."  
  
"Balance Val..." Both Max and Monica thought for a second. "The Great Sage Crest!"  
  
"Now I'll return you back to the Upper World..." Arisa's hands glowed green, and a bright green light surrounded the teens. "I wish you luck my friends."  
  
"Huh?" Cain said as he floated in the air. "Hey! I don't wanna go!"  
  
"Didn't you say you wanted too a while back?" Max asked.  
  
"That was BEFORE the hot goddess chick!"  
  
"Return when you found all 12!" Arisa shouted as the teens floated out of the room.  
  
"Hey!!!" Cain shouted as loud as he can. They all vanished from out of sight.  
  
/Max and Monica now have a new mission. Find all 12 talismans of time and return them to Arisa to give her the power to stop Griffon. Even with Cain, it will be a tough adventure. What will happen to them?/   
  
START TEASER:  
  
Cain: Cain here! So now we gotta find these 12 talismans to get Arisa's power back. They shoulda left me with her... anyway... We go to see this old fossil they call Crest. Geez old lady! Can't ya give the talisman to us before ya croak? Before we can get it, this airship attacks us and who's aboard it? Some longhaired fruitloop named Gaspard.  
  
Monica: So! He's back again?!  
  
Cain: Hey! What the hell? Where'd you guys come from?  
  
Max: We're the stars of this story! We can be here anytime!  
  
Cain: Does that include me, too?  
  
Max and Monica: No!  
  
Cain: What a gyp! Can I at least say the title?  
  
Max: Sure! Go ahead.  
  
Cain: Alright. Next Chapter...  
  
The 1st Talisman!  
Gaspard's Return!  
  
Cain: Now ya can't say that wasn't good!  
  
Monica: Needs more feeling...  
  
Max: And say it a little slower.  
  
Cain: Everybody's a freakin' critic... 


	6. 1st Talisman

/The Tournament of Power has reached its end. Rota... who was exposed to be the Dark energy of Griffon, summoned a ferocious Cerberus on the Max, Monica, and Cain. After defeating it, a large crater appeared right below the three and dropped them into the chamber that contained Arisa, the Goddess of Time. Now that she is awaken, they have a new mission, find the Goddess's powers that are contained in 12 Talismans. The adventure starts right now! /

Chapter 6:

The 1st Talisman!

Gaspard's Return!

Max and Monica stood outside the monster-infested town of Palm Brinks and watched it from atop a hill. They were busy thinking of the words from Arisa and what they would do next.

"12 Talismans, huh..." Max said as he sat on the grass with his hat by his side. The sun shined his on his blonde hair. "They must be all over the world... how could we find them all?"

"Well..." Monica wasn't too far. She was leaning against a long dead tree staring at Max. "If anyone knows how to find them, Crest might. Arisa did say she had one of the Talismans. She could probably shed some more light on the situation."

"Must be tough for a goddess to have no power..." Max said as he stood up.

"That reminds me..." Monica walked over to him and looked at him with a stern look in the eyes. "You had a weird looking face when you were STARING at her..."

"Staring?" Max stammered out nervously.

"Yeah... when she was naked..."

"Well... uh... I..." Max waved his hands in defense. "I was..."

"I'm here!!!" Someone shouted to them. They both turned to see Cain walking towards them carrying several brown bags. "And I bring you good, valuable crap!" He dropped the bags down and dug into one of them.

"Where'd you get all this stuff?" Max asked.

"Gift shop! All that prize money for winnin' the tournament paid for it! 20,000 Gilda!" He pulled out several pieces of cheese bread. "I love this stuff!" He stuffed them all in his face one at a time.

"Hey..." Monica started to say. "Shouldn't you save some of the food for our journey?"

"Screw that!" Cain said with a mouthful of bread. "I'm hungry now!" He threw a bag of food to Max and Monica, which they caught. "Eat up! I got plenty more!"

Max looked in the bag he had with a smile. After he saw what was in, his eyes bugged out and nose started to bleed. "This isn't food..." He accidentally dropped the bag to the ground. Several Risqué Magazines spilled out.

Monica looked at the pile of XXX magazines. "You spent most of your prize money on...smut?" she said in annoyed tone.

"Hey!" Cain protested. "Man can't live on bread alone... sometimes he needs some special entertainment for long journeys!"

"But did you really need to buy 20 magazines?" Monica replied.

"Well... what about you two?"

"What about us?" Monica asked in a slightly threatening tone.

"You and Max..." He grinned smugly. "You know it takes two to do the "Lovers' Tango," right?"

Max and Monica's cheeks turned red. "What are you implying?" Monica shouted.

"Monica and I are just friends!" Max also shouted.

"If that's the case... maybe the lady would like it if I showed her the tango myself..."

POOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!

Monica walloped Cain hard in the head with Max's hammer. "You're disgusting!!!"

"Ow..." Cain was now face first in the dirt. He rubbed the large pink lump on his head. "That smarts... big time!" He staggered back to his feet.

Max noticed three small tickets fall from his pocket. "Huh? What are those?"

"Ow... ya think we were gonna walk to Balance Valley?" Cain picked up the tickets. "These are tickets to the luxury air cruiser, the Blackjack. It's gonna be leaving Palm Brinks and heading to Balance Valley, so I bought some tickets for us!"

"Hey!" Max smiled. "That means we'll get there faster!"

"That kinda was the point..." Cain answered. "But also... Buncha rich chicks are gonna on board! Hot...pretty...RICH CHICKS!!!" Cain ran down the hill and back to the city.

"He's hopeless..." Monica said.

"Yep..." Max replied.

The two young teens walked together down the hill and back to the city. Little did they know, the enemy was watching their every move.

Meanwhile... in a pitch-black room, 8 sinister fiends were watching the 3 heroes through a crystal ball. The 8 were all the most trusted and powerful of Griffon's henchmen. One loud, male voice rang out.

"Those kids are aware of the talismans! If they find all 12..."

"Calm down, Minon..." Another male voice said. "There's no way those brats will ever find all of them."

"I say we freeze them to their souls!" A loud, female voice shouted. "They can go back and forth in time! That'll be a real problem..."

"They will not travel far..." A low, quiet male replied. "Not without these..." The demon lifted up 2 shining jewels. It was the Atlamillias that were once Max's and Monica's.

"Hey!" A goofy male voice shouted out. "Rubicante's been holdin' out on us! He's had those Atla-thingys this whole time!"

"They are safest in my hands." Rubicante said to the others. "Without them, killing those kids will be much easier."

"Must we kill them all?" Another female demon said. "That 'Max' kid looks kinda cute..."

"Geez, Valvaris..." Yet another male demon said. "You'd try to sleep with anyone... or anything!"

"Enough!" The last voice, the most powerful monster shouted. "We must send every monster and demon we have left to destroy them."

"Don't bother..." A dark voice replied, causing all the figures in the room to turn towards the door. Standing there, in a dark emperor robe, was Rota.

"Lord Griffon..." Rubicante said. "You have finally returned."

Rota face suddenly twisted in rage. "Not completely! Much of my energy is still spread all over the world."

"Sorry pal!" The goofy demon spook again. "Looks like you ain't strong enough to boss us around!"

"Is that what you think?" Rota formed a dark ball of energy at his hand and fired it into the stone wall, causing it to become badly damaged and cracked to pieces. "I won't hesitate to annihilate any who oppose me. So that means you will still obey my orders."

"The order..." One of female demons spoke. "is to find those children and kill them, right?"

"The order is to continue ruling your parts of the world with no remorse. The person who I will trust to kill them is..."

"No need to introduce me." An all too familiar voice spook. Entering the room, with many scars and burns all over his face, was the assassin and killer of Monica's father, Gaspard. "I'm sure everyone knows who I am by now."

"What's this?!" One male demon shouted. "He's supposed to be dead!"

"Supposed to be..." Gaspard said. "But Lord Griffon has given me another chance at revenge. And even gave me my human form back. Mark my words, lord, I will kill both that princess and that boy!"

"I may have granted you life, but I still do not trust you to go there, alone." Another door slammed open and a beautiful woman walked in. She wore long, flowing red mercenary robes and had her long blonde hair wave freely. She had green emerald eyes and ruby red lips. She had a serious expression on her face. "Her name is Natsumi. A mercenary from a town called Dorter. She will aid you in the assassination of the three."

"Just remember..." Natsumi started to say. "I get all the money..."

"I'll remember..." Rota smiled evilly. "You'll get all that we agreed on. Only, if you kill all three of them."

"Right..." Natsumi smiled darkly as she looked at her targets, Max, Monica, and Cain.

"Friggin' ship..." Cain complained as he leaned against the rail of the airship. "No rich chick anywhere... just a buncha old farts and bags braggin' bout their money..." Cain groaned. "Air travel just ain't gonna catch on..."

As he stood there complaining, a little Moogle in a tux walks up, holding a tray of various drinks. "Would the gentlemen like another glass of champagne?"

"Hell yeah!" Cain snatched one of the glasses and drank it down rather quick. "Keep em' comin'!"

Max was sitting with a few rich people and listened to their stories of wealth with great boredom. Not since the formal parties his father threw was he so bored.

One old rich man was telling everyone present a story."...and that's when I learned that it was a mistake to invest in blacksmiths and welders. Now the point of..." Max was sick and tired of listening to this story, so we walked away, looking for Monica.

After walking around the ship for a while he found her, looking over the edge of the airship, watching the passing mountains with a smile. "Monica..." His voice snapped her out of her deep thoughts and she turned towards him. "Sorry bout that. Hope I didn't disturb you."

"Of course not." Monica said with a warm smile. "Got bored too?"

"Yeah..." Max scratched the back of his head. "If I have to listen to one more story about money, I'd go nuts."

"Yeah..." Monica turned to look back at the mountains. "I got tired of it too. I'd rather look at the scenery anyway."

"Yeah... it's amazing..." Max wasn't looking at anything but Monica. She wasn't award of this, thought. "You know... this is the only chance we've had to really talk."

"I know." Monica turned back towards him. "So how have things been? Bet it was a nice break from fighting monsters."

"Yeah..."

"Listen, Max..." Monica looked into his eyes. "I'm sorry I had to drag you on another adventure... I mean, you were living peacefully until I came and..."

"I have no regrets." Max said truthfully. "I was never any happier until you brought me on this adventure. I'd rather be slaying monsters and helping save the world than just sit around and do nothing."

"Guess it's not easy getting used to anything other than adventures..."

"Yeah... the danger... the monsters... and chance that we may not make it alive..." Max chuckled a little. "Guess we're just a couple of insane weirdoes..."

"Yeah..." Monica thought to herself as she smiled. "A couple..." She quickly snapped out of her thoughts and spoke again. "Guess you're right!"

"Say Monica..."

"Yes Max?"

"Are we..." Max paused for a moment. "Are..." He wanted to say what was on his mind from the start of his second journey. He wanted to know... would they be together... for good. "Are we almost there? I'd like to see Balance Valley again."

Monica felt her smile vanish. "That wasn't what he was going to say..." She thought to herself again. But she smiled again and spoke. "We'll make it there in the morning."

She started to walk back inside the ship's lobby, but she tripped. She gasped as she felt Max's arm wrap around her waist to catch her. She looked up into his eyes with her eyes sparkling and mouths agape. Max, too was shocked at what he did, but he still stared into her eyes. For a moment, neither spoke nor move, they just stared into each other's eyes. This scene was interrupted when the door slammed open. They both broke away and looked at the person who entered.

"Ain't dis... hic!... cooooozy?" It was Cain. He had a red line of blush on his face and spoke in a slurred tone. He had a bottle of wine in his grasped and staggered as he walked to Max and Monica. "You two... I swear..." He hiccuped as he made a crooked smile. "You were gonna... I won't... won't say it! I just..." Cain lost his balance and fell on his back. "Ain't no drinkin' age in da sky, so I filled up on some of the alcy they had here! Hahaha! Hic!" Cain rose to his feet and handed Monica the bottle of wine. "You two go 'head and share it... just drink outta the bottle." He whispered to Max. "If she does it with you... y'know, some cultures call it... 'indirective kissing...' Hahaha! HIC!!!" Cain walked back to the door and went back inside, slamming the door shut.

"He must be having a good time..." Max said with a stunned look on his face.

"He even gave us an empty bottle..." Monica shook the bottle to show that all the wine had been drunken, no doubt by Cain.

"Oof!" Cain grunted as he fell face first in the hall that led to the bedrooms. "Heh... that hurt!" He got off and straggly leaned against the wall, feeling around it. "Huh... Someone was replaced the door of my room with a wall..." He started to feel around for a doorknob. "Maybe I oughta look further down..." Cain started to sidestep as he leaned against the wall. He kept feeling around until he found a doorknob. He was now standing in front of a bedroom door. "This must be it... hic!"

He opened it slowly and saw someone in there. It was a beautiful young woman who was searching in a dresser drawer. The only thing she had on, however, was a pink bra and pair of panties. She looked at Cain and shrieked. "AHHHHHHHH!!!" She quickly covered her chest with her arms.

"Huh?" Cain was confused. "What happened to my room?"

"WHAT...WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!!!" She screamed at him with her face blushing bright red.

"Will you... hic! Help me find my room? Please?"

"GET OUT!!!" She screamed again as she grew my furious.

"Just... as soon as I..." He was interrupted when the woman threw a heavy book at his face. "Ugh!" The book stuck to his face. He fell back and crashed on the floor, dazed.

The woman walked up to the door and slammed it shut. She sighed a breath of relief and sat on the bed. Suddenly, a quieting beeping tone was heard from the dresser. She walked over to it and pulled out from the top drawer a small communicator. "What?"

"Natsumi!" It was Gaspard's voice on the other line. "Why is taking you so long to return to the ship?"

"Shut it, Gaspard..." Natsumi replied. "I had to make sure our prey was aboard. One happened to "run into" me, but he was too drunk realize it."

"Just get back here! We have to beat them to Balance Valley."

"Yeah... yeah..." Natsumi turned off the communicator. She then walked over to the door and opened it slightly. She peeked over at the unconscious Cain. "Better sleep well... you're dead tomorrow..." She silently closed the door and left Cain lying there.

The majestic airship slowly descended to the ground and landed near the Balance Valley Shrines. As soon the ship was completely stopped, a small gangplank slid from the deck and onto the ground. Several rich passengers walked off, along with Max and Monica. Cain wasn't too far behind them, complaining about his headache.

"Man..." Cain moaned as he opened his bloodshot eyes. "Gotta hangover the size of Vennicio Beach..."

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to have a drinking contest against that rich tycoon..." Max said.

"You kiddin'?" Cain was now smiling. "It was worth seein' that guy tryin' to hit on the czaress. Poor guy can't have kids no more!"

After several minutes of walking, the 3 found themselves standing in front of Lao Chao's Bistro. They were staring at the huge Moon Crystal that stood right in the middle of the valley. This was where the Great Sage Crest would be most of the time, and this time was no exception.

"Hope Crest can gives us some info about the Talismans." Max said to Monica.

"Don't worry, Max." She assured him. "If anyone knows about them, Madame Crest would."

"That's a big freakin' rock..." Cain said as she looked at the Crystal. His pupils were suddenly replaced with Gilda signs. "Clippin' offa chunk of that might rake in some serious Gilda at the black market!" He looked around and saw that Max and Monica were both gone. "Hey!" Cain started to run after them, but he first pulled out a chisel and hammer. "Wait up!"

Standing before the Moon Crystal was the Great Sage Crest. She had her eyes closed in deep thought. She was well aware of all the events that had taken place, even the new body that Griffon had taken control off. Her thoughts were interrupted when Monica spoke up.

"Please forgive our intrusion, Madame Crest..."

The old sage smiled. "Not at all." She turned around to face them. "I was expecting you two. I see that you survived Palm Brinks." A slight chiseling noise was heard. Crest and the two heroes checked over the other side to see Cain. He was trying hard to carve out a piece of the crystal."

"Hah!" He banged the chisel into the surface. "Hah!" He tried again, but the chisel merely snapped in two. "Fraggin' rock!" He took hold of a hammer and began to pound with all his strength. "Why... won't...you...break..." Madame Crest cleared her throat and caught Cain's attention. "'Sup, old broad?"

"Get the heck away from that crystal!" Crest shouted. "Lest my cane find your backside!" She began to swing her cane wildly at him.

"Okay! Okay!" Cain slowly backed away and joined Max and Monica.

"I guess this young man must be that energy I sensed..."

"Yes, Madame Crest." Monica said politely.

"To think... a young brat like him was that dark energy." Crest sighed disappointedly. "I must be getting' old..."

"Number 1..." Cain said with frustration. "Don't call me a brat! Letter B... Course you getting' old! And 4! I am a dark priest! I have great and dark energy and deserve nothing but respect! Now take us to that Crest guy!"

"Watch your mouth!" Crest shouted back.

"This is Madame Crest." Max said to Cain.

Cain pointed to the sage. "This little ol' hag is Crest?" He was soon bashed in the head by Crest's cane. "Ow!!!"

Crest pulled her cane back. "Yes I am the Great Sage Crest. And although you may be a dark priest, I have been on this Earth for about a century longer than you, so watch your mouth when you speak to me!"

Cain rubbed the front of his head. "I can see you've been here for a long time!"

"Crest." Max spoke up. "If you know about what we've been through... than do happen to know where the first Talisman is?"

"Yes I do Max." Crest said with a smile. She then frowned "But I'm afraid that getting to them is the hard part..."

"Why is that?" Monica asked.

"Well..." Crest's face became serious. "Before Griffon was destroyed, he gave control of certain parts of the world to his 8 trusted minions. They have all taken entire control of the other side of the world. Each of them was given a talisman to use to strength their powers and to make sure that they had total control. They then each sealed a barrier around their part of the world to prevent any outside attacks or invasions. As long as they hold those talismans the barriers stand. The only way to get there is to go back in time, go to the then FREE country, and open a time portal to back here. You'll be inside the barrier and in the country with no trouble."

"Wait a minute!" Cain shook his hands. "Go back in time? Create a portal... and come back? No 'fense... but this crazy crap sound impossible!"

"Without our Atlamillias, it is impossible." Monica said.

"Not even the Hourglass can handle that much time travel." Max added.

"But..." Crest smiled. "Not with this..." Crest pulled out her pocket a small, round, flat stone that had a carving of an hourglass on it. "I believe this is one of the talisman you seek?"

"Wow!" Max exclaimed. "That is a talisman!"

"This Talisman has contained in it a Time Spirit that can transport you from era to era." Crest explained. "But it will only be released only if it is held in the hands of the chosen of the Atlamillias."

Cain was about to fall asleep from this long scene, when he could hear the sounds of an airship moving closer. "Hey! You guys hear that...?"

Crest, Monica, and Max couldn't hear anything. "What is it, Cain?" Monica asked.

"Sounds like..." Suddenly the sound got close enough for everyone to hear. Cain's eyes shot wide as he realized what it was. "Bomber Air Ship!"

In an instant, a quick airship soared above the valley and dropped several small bombs. Several spots became covered in flames and explosives. One dropped right near the Moon Crystal and sent the heroes flying. Max crashed into the Bistro while Monica and Crest were knocked across one of the bridges. Cain was blow off the edge, but thankfully, he held on for his life and pulled himself up.

"What in the hell!?" Max shouted as the airship cruised back in front of them. Standing over the edge, with his long hair waving in the air, was Gaspard. "Oh man..."

"Not you!" Monica said. She hoped she would never see the murderer of her father again.

"Who the hell are you?!" Cain shouted in demand.

"Well if it isn't Max and Monica!" Gaspard bowed. "It's been a while... too long in fact..."

"Gaspard!" Natsumi walked up to him. "Let's not waste anytime! We'll only get the money if they're killed!"

"Damn..." Cain thought when he looked at Natsumi. "She fine as hell... she's..." Cain thought about the woman from yesterday. "That one chick from last night..."

"Well then, Miss Mercenary..." Gaspard said. "Who will be the first to die?"

Natsumi looked for first at Cain, who was ready for a fight. She then looked at Max, who was just stepping out of the Bistro, limping. She finally set her sights on Monica and Crest. She made her decision.

"We will kill those two first..." She smiled evilly. "Go ahead Gaspard... take fire!"

Gaspard pressed a button and the airship unleashed from the side giant cannon. It began to charge energy and when it was ready, it fires a giant ball of yellow energy that sped towards Monica and Crest at an insane speed. When it was just feet away from the two...

"DARK ENERGY BLAST!!!" Cain shouted his trademark move and threw the large ball of darkness to match the size of Gaspard's blast. The darkness made contact with the blast and both were destroyed in an explosion of smoke. Cain looked at Gaspard and did a slow cutthroat and gave him a simple thumb down.

"Grrrrr..." Gaspard, frustrated with Cain's arrogance shouted a command. "ATTACK!!!" Suddenly, the ship's dock doors all slammed open against the platforms of the Shrines and armies of monsters and demon rushed out with weapons drawn and claws sharpen.

"And I left all the monster freaks back at Brinks..." Cain struck a fighting pose. Monica got up and drew her sword. Max locked and loaded his gun and had hammer in hand.

/Thanks to the help of the Sage Crest, the heroes are now in the presence of one of the Talismans of Time. But before they can take it, they must survive a battle against the persistent Gaspard.../

START TEASER:

Cain: Sorry to cut this chap so close, especially since there weren't any REAL fight scenes. But you got to see some Max/Monica fluff, and some of my smooth moves, so that should hold ya 'til the next chap! It's a Battle Royale of freaks, creeps and villains. You'll get nonstop action when we square 'gainst Gaspard and his army of monsters. But fear not, cause we get help from the most unlikely source. A Blue Fox Fairy... okay... a fox fairy I can get, but blue? Who ever seen a blue fox? If that's not originality, then it's stolen! Next Chapter!

Coronya the Time Spirit!

Cain: Why blue though? Gotta see her to believe it... 


	7. Time Spirit

/When we last left our heroes, they had traveled to the home of the Great Sage Crest, Balance Valley. There they learned more about the talismans they would have to find to restore the powers of a goddess. They also learned that several of Griffon's most trusted demons each had a talisman and had blocked away all contact from the region they ruled over. Then, Gaspard attacked and released an army of monsters. The battle continues.../

Chapter 7:

The Time Spirit Coronya!

Several hundreds of monsters charged towards Cain all at the same time. His fists glowed black and his face had a confident smile. "Ya wanna make some fun?" The monsters all surrounded him. "You got it! HAH!!!" Cain knocked out every one of the monsters that tried to attack, him one by one.

Monica soon dealt with a giant armored monster the wielded a huge sword. He used her own sword to block its slashes and thrusts. Just when she was near the edge, she flipped over its head and swung her sword at it, slicing its head off. The body fell limp and dropped over the edge down the endless fall. Before she could take a breather, several different Gemrons flew towards her shooting fire, ice, and thunder at her. She dove out of the way and used her wind magic to blow them towards Max. "Head's up, Max!"

Max heard her, and saw the Gemrons fly at him. He used his gun to shoot them down and crush them with his hammer. A trio of Yo-Yo Barrels rolled towards him at great speed. He got the Ridepod Steve ready for combat. "Let's go Steve!"

"I'm gonna get these guys!" Steve's voice box roared out as it fired several blasts at the enemy Ridepods. Steve rushed ahead and grabbed another Ridepod and swung it around. He let go and sent it flying at a golem. The Ridepod simply bounced off the golem's body, but it hit with enough force to knock it off the edge. "Get the lead out!" Steve switched to his samurai swords and sliced every monster that was unfortunate enough to get near.

Cain continued taking on the monsters, until he was able to get through them and head towards the ship. "Ladies and gentlemen... Cain had arrived!!!" With one giant leap, he jumped over the gap that separated the airship and the platforms and boarded the deck. He spin kicked and punched his way through a crowd of monsters and made it to Gaspard. "You're dead!!!" He threw a punch at the unflinching Gaspard, but a sword blocked his fist. "Huh?" He looked and saw that it was Natsumi's sword that stopped his attack. She had a stern face as she drew back her weapon.

"Leave this one to me, Gaspard..." She said calmly. "This man I can kill with no trouble."

"This ain't cause I saw ya in your tight... tight panties, is it?" Cain asked with a smile.

Natsumi blushed, but was angry. "This is business!"

"Glad it is... cause back then, it was pleasure..." Cain said suavely as he remembered seeing her in her underwear. "It was pleasure..."

"Grrrrrr..." Natsumi growled.

"Do want you wish with him." Gaspard said as he walked away. "We're not getting paid to kill him." He walked back into the captain's room.

Cain and Natsumi stood there, staring each other down. "Why don't you start, sexy lady..." Cain said.

"You'll call me Natsumi!" She shouted as she hit Cain in the face, knocking him down to the ground. "Not so smug now, are you?"

"Oh...baby..." Cain got up and wiped the blood off his mouth. "Thank you ma'am! May I have another, ma'am?" Natsumi growled again as she kicked him in the stomach. "Ohhh... that hurts good... and I didn't even have to pay..." Natsumi became frustrated and began kicked him repeatedly. "More! More!"

"You bastard! Take this fight seriously!" She screamed in anger.

Cain got up and smiled. "You should too. Your hits aren't even hurting me. In fact... they feel kinda good..."

Natsumi pulled out her sword and swung it at his face, cutting his cheek. "Now what do you say?!"

"You're VERY sexy in pink my dear..." Cain winked at her.

Natsumi was flushed and furious. "HOW DARE YOU!!!" She swung her sword wildly while Cain kept dodging.

"HAH!!!" Monica shouted as she slashes the chest of an attacking Priest of Rama. She then did an impressive back flip and dove her sword into the abdomen of a Spider Lady. Max, meanwhile, had changed his weapon from a hammer to a wrench. A knife wielding Smiling Fairy tried to stab his knife at Max, but the blade got caught in the vice of the wrench. Max smiled as he tightened the vice and pulled away the enemy's knife. With one powerful smash, the monster was destroyed.

Crest was standing in front of the Moon Crystal with the Talisman and cane in hand. She bashed enemies away with her cane, but was soon overcome and had the Talisman snatched away from her by a Skeleton Soldier. He held it up in victory, until a flying fireball hit him in the hand and burned it away. He screamed as the Talisman fell from the highest platform to the lowest bridge, where Max was fighting.

"Max!" Crest shouted as loud as she could, despite her hoarse voice. "The Talisman! Get the Talisman!"

Max heard her and saw the object Crest was yelling about. He smashed and shot his way through a crowd of monsters until he reached it. In one last-ditch effort, a charging ram knocked both Max and himself off the bridge. Max's foot hit the Talisman and it fell as well. Max yelled as he began falling into the long abyss that was the canyon.

Monica heard his voice and turned towards the cliff he fell off of. "MAX!!!" She screamed before a hard hit in the head by an Ivanoff knocked her to the ground.

Cain and Natsumi's fight was still going on. She was growing tired from swing her sword around, but Cain, who did nothing but dodge, was still well energized. Cain noticed this and grew even more arrogant.

"What's the matter, baby?" He said smugly. "We haven't even gotten to the fun stuff and you're already beat."

"You... bas..." She breathed out before making another struggled slash of her sword. Cain was able to dodge this and quickly ran behind her. She yelped when she felt both of Cain's hands squeezed her behind tightly.

"Nice and firm..." Cain admired. "You could bounce a gilda coin off this ass!"

"Oh...no...he..." Natsumi turned around angrily and held her sword over her head. "DIDN'T!!!" She brought the sword down at Cain, but he grabbed the blade with his hand and held it away from him.

"All ya needed was a jump start." Cain smiled. "Besides...you enjoyed that... didn't ya?"

Natsumi gritted her teeth and was about to strike again, when a flash of blue light brightened the skies. She turned towards it. "What the hell is this?!"

Max, who fortunately had caught the falling Talisman, had a tight grip on the glowing blue light that appeared in his hand.

"What's happening to the Talisman?" Max wondered, nearly forgetting he was free falling. Suddenly, a heavy whoosh of air lifted him higher up and gently set him back down on the platform. "How did I?" His thoughts were interrupted when someone called his name.

"Max!" Monica ran to him and helped him up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." He suddenly felt the Talisman jerk out of his hand and float towards the sky. "Monica... look..." A bright light shone out of it as it spun in the air.

"What is that??" Monica said just before a bright, blinding blue light.

The sight of the light caused every monster near to scream in horror. Most tried to escape the valley while others fell into the endless chasm. Soon, the entire valley was rid of all the monsters.

The light's shine slowly faded and a small blue flicker was left. It flew around the area while Max and Monica watched.

"It's the power that the Talisman has sealed." Crest said to them while approaching.

"You mean Max released it?" Monica asked with a smile.

Crest nodded. "Now it will help rid the area of any and all monsters..."

Cain and Natsumi were continuing their battle, until the blue flicker crashed into Cain and knocked him down.

"Hey!" He shouted at it until the light wrapped around his leg and lifted him off the ship. "The hell is this?!" Cain floated back to the platforms of Balance Valley. "LEMME GO!!!" The light loosened its grip and dropped him on his head. "Ow!"

Gaspard watched from the deck as his monster army retreated. "Gah! Worthless!" He then shouted towards the control room. "Take us back to Elysiun!"

The Death Ark made a wide turn in the other direction and, with a blast from the engines, flew full-speed away from the valley.

"Wait up!" Cain lifted his arm and formed a large ball of energy over his head. "Here's a little parting gift! AHH!!!" He threw the ball towards the ship, but it slowly faded away since it was too far away already. "Damn!" He started to walk away, when his face crashed into the blue shimmer. "Huh?" He swatted it away. "Anyone wanna tell me what the hell this is?"

"That came from the Talisman." Max said while pointing at the light.

Cain looks at it with confusion. "This little speck made a battalion of monsters piss themselves and run away?

"Sure did!" A little voice came from the shimmer, causing Cain to fall back in shock.

"It spoke?!" He shouted at it.

"Well of course I can... wait a minute, please..." The little flick began to sparkle until it slowly vanished.

"Where'd it go?" Monica asked.

"Dunno..." Cain got up, but then a suddenly pop knocked him back down.

With a pop and a blast of blue smoke, the three heroes were in the presence of an unusual creature, a flying blue fox. The critter was only a foot tall and was covered in blue fur. She wore a long white dress and had a gold crowd onto her head. She even held a little star wand like a pixie. She cutely twitched her black fox nose and smiled. "Hi!"

"Uh..." Max and Monica were speechless.

The fox wiggled her blue ears. "Are you two the ones chosen by the Atlamillias?" Again, Max and Monica couldn't say anything. "Hmm?"

"Yes they are..." Sage Crest walked over slowly. "And you must be the Time Goddess's servant, yes?"

"Yep!" The blue fox fairy did a flip in the air while giggling. "I'm Coronya! The Doorman... uh... Woman... uh Fox! Doorfox to the Gates of Time!"

"Gates of Time!?" Cain jumped to his feet. "How's a little runt like you know about opening Time Gates?!"

"Sorry..." Coronya disappeared and reappeared on Cain's head. "But that's a secret..."

Cain got annoyed. "God, help ya if you ain't toilet trained..." He tried to swat the fox away, but she flew away in time in front of his face. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Why you..." Cain tired to grab her, but she flew over his head and kicked him in the back. "Ouch!" He quickly turned around but she was gone. She reappeared behind him and bashed his head with her wand.

Coronya giggled. "This guy is fun!" She continued to hit his head until Monica spoke up.

"Uh... Coronya."

"Hmm?" She floated from Cain and flew in front of Monica's face. "Yes?"

"Are you really a Time Spirit?"

"Uh-huh!" Coronya nodded her head.

"Then you can help us travel back and forth and time?" Max asked.

Coronya giggled again. "Silly! I can't do it all the time!"

"You can't?" Max replied.

"Nope. You gotta say please!" She smiled.

"Oh!" Monica smiled. "Could you please help us?"

"Sure!" Coronya flew all around the area. "I wanna help my Goddess friend get her powers back! Let's kick up the bad guy's booty!"

"You sure about that, furball?" Cain asked. "It's Griffon..."

Coronya stopped for a second and scratched her chin. "Then..." She starting flying around again. "Let's kick up Griffon's booty! Yay!!!"

Gaspard and Natsumi both found themselves in the chambers of Griffon's Castle. Griffon, still in the form of Rota, stood before them with great anger.

"You have failed me yet again, Gaspard!" He shouted to the two of them. Gaspard took a step back in fear, while Natsumi stood her ground fearlessly.

"Listen, my lord.": Gaspard explained. "It was those bastard monsters! There couldn't handle it and just ran..."

"No excuses!" Rota slammed his fist down the armrest of the throne he sat on. "I warned you what would happen... now!" Rota's hand started glow black. Gaspard prepared for the worst, while Natsumi stood forth.

"Listen, Rota." She spoke in a calm voice. "Understand that we were up against more than we bargained for. That fossil Crest gave them the Talisman, and they had the help of a Dark Priest. We couldn't help but fail. Now, the two Chosen are no trouble, but now that they have the Time Spirit with them, they can freely go back and forth in time. Now the way I work depends on how much I get paid..." Rota was curious about what she was saying. "I only used a third of my skills. Perhaps if you gave me a more respectable profit..."

"How dare you demand more money from Lord Griffon!" Gaspard shouted at her.

"Quiet Gaspard!" Rota looked at her. "What did you have in mind?"

She smiled wickedly. "I mean I can get you an army of mercenaries, assassins, and spies. I can bring my most powerful weapons of destruction. All for a small increase in my salary. Plus, I can do away with that Dark Priest for free. All I need is a total of 500,000,000 Gilda..."

"Extortion!" Gaspard shouted.

"Silence! Is this what it will cost to kill them?" Rota asked.

"It will be worth it. I'll even hunt for the Talismans that they didn't find yet."

"Agreed..." Rota got up and extended her hand towards her. "Let's shake on it to make it official."

"I knew you'd see it my way..." She shook his hand, not noticing the evil smile that had crossed his lips.

"We're going on a airship!" Coronya sang as she playfully nuzzled Cain's neck. "We're going on a..."

"Knock it off!" Cain shouted at her. "This is no time to be so freakin' happy! This is serious!" Cain quickly ran up the gangplank of the Transportation Air Ship. "Bring on the wine, Moogles!!!"

Max and Monica both groaned at the same time. "Ohhh... nooo..."

As they made their way up the plank, Max pulled out the Talisman they received and thought to himself. "One down... 11 to go..."

/Max and Monica have freed the Time Spirit Coronya and are now heading back to Palm Brinks to begin their adventure. But with the Mercenary Natsumi after them, it won't be an easy quest. And what other uncharted dangers await them? Only time will tell.../

START TEASER:

Max: The first Talisman is found! Now we're heading back to the Palm Brinks of my time and gonna fix the Black Ore Railroad and Train. Our next stop, the mysterious wooded land known as Selceta Forest.

Cain: It's filled with ghosts!

Max: But that's not all... when we run into a dangerous thief and his pet wolf, more than our lives will be on the line.

Cain: Hey! That crook stole our Talisman!

Max: See? Next Chapter...

The Forest of Ghosts

Cain: Happy Halloween!

Max: That's not for another mouth...

Cain: Yeah, odds are the chap won't be done 'til winter...

NOTE: Chapter WILL be done before winter.


	8. Forest of Ghosts

/Max, Monica, and Cain were deep in battle when Gaspard and his Airship, The Death Ark, arrived with an army of monsters to take the Talisman away from them. Cain challenged a graceful female assassin, but the Dark Priest proved to be more of a fight than she thought. Max was able released the Time Spirit from the Talisman in time, and it's bright light caused every monster to retreat. Gaspard made his escape as well and Balance Valley was saved. Now they are heading back to Palm Brinks with a new friend. Time Spirit Coronya!/

Chapter 8:

The Forest of Ghosts

"Hmmm?" Coronya flew around the area just outside of Future Palm Brinks. "I know it's here somewhere!" She flew from side to side, up and down, looking around for a 'time gate' as she called it.

"Are you sure it's around here?" Max asked her as she picked up his hat and looked underneath it.

"Not here…" Coronya answer while setting Max's hat back on his head. "But over here!" She flew next to a small hole in the ground and looked into it. "Nope…"

"Okay…" Cain asked with annoyance as he sat on a flat rock. "What the hell are we lookin' for?"

"Not here! Not here either!" Coronya kept flying around in circles.

"We're looking for a Time Gate, Cain." Max explained.

"It'll take us to Palm Brinks, a hundred years in the past." Monica said while helping Coronya look.

Cain yawned. "This time travel thing sounds fun… but if it's gonna take this long to find da gate, I'm just gonna…"

"Found it!" Coronya squealed happily as she pointed to the spot she was floating over. "I found it! I found it!"

Max, Monica, and Cain all looked over the space she was pointing at. It was just dirt and nothing else. "Nice Time Gate, Coronya…" The irritated Cain said. "So we start diggin'?"

Coronya giggled. "Silly Cain! We don't dig down to the gate! The gate comes up to us!" Her wand started to glow and suddenly, a large wood door shot out of the ground, causing Max, Monica, and Cain to fall back. "Yay! I found the gate!"

"It's more of a door than a gate…" Max pointed out.

"Gate…door… It's still a portal!" Coronya flew in front of the door and grabbed the metal doorknob that appeared on it. "This door will take us 100 years back in time."

"How do you know?" Monica asked, just to be careful.

"All I gotta do is say when we're going and this door will take us there!" She swung the door open, and a blue swirling portal appeared before everyone's eyes. "Okay Magic Portal! I command you! Take us 100 years in the past!"

"I feel much more sure bout this crap now…" Cain groaned sarcastically. The portal shone a bright blue light that caused the 3 teens to cover there eyes.

"We go now! YAY!!!" Coronya flew into the portal and vanished in a flash.

"Huh?!" Max said when he and Monica ran after her. "Wait up!" They entered the portal and, like Coronya, disappeared.

Cain just stood there in deep thought. "Hmm… This is impossible… I know it is…yet Max and Monica vanished with that blue fur ball…" Cain thought for a while until he finally came to a conclusion. "There might be scores of hot chicks on the other side of this door! YAHOO!!!" Cain jumped into the portal with great excitement. When he vanished, the door slammed shut and faded away as if it was never there.

* * *

"What the hell is this?!" Shouted one of the mysterious demons watching the 3 heroes. Every one of Griffon's highly trusted demons were in an uproar about what they had just saw. 

"What's the deal, Rubicante?!" Another demon shouted. "You said that without the Atlamillias, they couldn't go anywhere in time! What sorta crap is it that some blue ball of fur can take em any when they want?!"

"What a fortunate coincidence for them…" Rubicante said calmly. He was the only one not upset of angry. "Who would have thought that they would find the one talisman that had the Time Goddess's servant sealed in it."

While the demons were busy with their discussion, Gaspard and Natsumi watched them from afar. They had just received their new orders from Rota.

"What a bunch of idiots…" Gaspard said with a scoff. "Griffon should be glad that he hired us to kill those 3 rather than these demons…"

"So when do we leave?" Natsumi said. "The sooner we eliminate them, the sooner I can get my money. I can't wait for 1,000,000,000 Gilda…"

"What's that!?" Gaspard said in shock. "You doubled the price!?"

"Rota is the richest man in the world… lucky for Griffon, he controls his body. Surely, a small amount like 1,000,000,000 is nothing to him…"

Gaspard looked at her with a hateful glare. "For that amount, however, you better not fail."

"For that amount… they'll be dead in a few days…" Natsumi smiled darkly.

100 years in the past, the citizens of Palm Brinks surrounded the Zelmite Mine, waiting for any news about their missing hero, Max. The whole town was concerned when the haven't heard from Max in the past 3 days. He would have called on the communicator Cedric rigged his Ridepod, Steve, with. But he hasn't call yet, or come out of the mine.

No one was more concerned than Max's father, Gerald. He was waiting, impatiently, for the search team that was already deep in the mine. When he saw Cedric walk out, he spoke up. "Did you find him?"

"No…" Cedric shook his head. "We've searched the entire mine and flushed out the monsters, but all we could find was a full sack of Zelmite."

"Keep looking!" Gerald demanded. "He must still be in there somewhere."

"We'll keep doin' as much as we can!" Cedric turned to walk back into the cave, when a bright flash shone from outside the city gates. "What was that?!"

"We'll keep searchin' for the kid!" Erik shouted as he ran back inside the mine. "Better check that out!"

"Let's go, Gerald!" Cedric, the Mayor, and Gerald all ran towards the city gates. When they opened them to investigate, they saw a lone wooden door standing in front of them.

"Huh?" Mayor Need got a closer look. "It's a door… but what is it doing here?"

Suddenly, a loud knocking on the door made the Mayor back away. It slowly creaked open and released a bright blue light. It slowly faded, and 4 figures walked towards the 3 men. When they walked out of the door, it slammed shut and disappeared. The sun light exposed who the 4 was. It was Max, Monica, Cain, and floating in the air was Coronya.

"M-Max!" Gerald shouted in shock.

"And Monica?!" Cedric looked at the fiery red head.

"Who's the geezers?" Cain asked Max. "Don't tell me this city was run by old people in past!."

* * *

I took a while for the whole town to get back to normal. The search team was called off and work on the Blackstone Ore had begun. Meanwhile, a small dinner was occurring at Max's mansion. Cain was amazed as he looked around the dining room. 

"Geez…" Cain said in awe. "You must be loaded with Gilda!" Cain bit noisily at his dinner. "This stuff is the best stuff I've even ate!" He said with a mouth full of food. He then belched and continued biting at his meal.

Cedric had to raise the sound of his voice to speak over Cain's eating. "I guess manners were forgotten in Palm Brinks of the future!"

"Hey…" Cain dropped his food. "I ain't from that hell hole! I'm from a different hell hole! Don't insult me like that!"

Mayor Need took a sip of his wine. "So Griffon's energy has taken control of another person and is trying to control the world again?"

"That's right." Max said. "And unless we can find 12 Talismans before him, he'll succeed…"

"That's why I came back." Monica said. "I feared that Griffon would try to wipe Max out of history. He's already gotten a lot of his power back."

"So you guys need the Blackstone Ore to take you to other parts of the world where the Talismans are in the future." Mayor Need said. "Well it will take a while…"

"But we'll get it up and running for you guys." Cedric said.

"Well, the nearest place a Talisman is…" Coronya explained while eating a piece of bread. "Would be the Selceta Forest."

"Hmm…" Cedric scratched his chin. "Ya know… that's not too far from here. It's really close to Sindain Forest… And I am working on a new Ridepod…"

"What if you convert into a transportation vehicle?" Max suggested.

"Then you can get that Talisman while we work on the train!" Cedric said excitedly. "Alright! We'll do it!"

While everyone seemed to discuss the plans for the train, they didn't notice Cain whisper something into Claire's, Mayor Need's daughter, ear. She gasped and blushed slight red while Cain grinned suavely. Claire walked over to Monica and whispered to her what Cain said to her.

"He said that?" Monica asked. Claire nodded while still blushing. Monica grabbed an empty plate and threw it at Cain, smacking him right in the face.

"Ow!!!" Cain shouted. "What was that for!?"

"For being a pervert!" She shouted back. "How dare you ask Claire to show you 'the back room, personally?'"

"What?!" Need slammed his fists down on the table.

Cain waved his hands in defense. "I wanna know where I can put all my stuff! I bought a lotta crap with my money and don't wanna lose any of it! I didn't mean anything else but that!" Cain looked at Claire with a sly grin. She turned away shyly.

* * *

For the past few days, Monica and Cain had stayed with Max in his mansion. He had been going to work on the new Ridepod Cedric had created. Monica practiced her swordplay and magic and been learning as much as she can about the Talismans from Coronya. Cain usually stayed out all day and came home with a face full of slap marks, mostly from Milane, the weapon shop owner. 

One night, Cain came home from a long day of unsuccessful flirting. "How's a guy to get any action 'round here?" He complained. "That hot chick at the weapon shop started threatening me with her swords. Damn…" He looked in the dining room, where Max was enjoying a small meal. "Yo Max! Which way to the shower?"

"Upstairs…" Max stopped eating for a minute. "But Monica in the shower now, so you'll have to wait." Right when he said, Max knew he made a mistake. He looked towards where Cain was, but he was already gone. Max shook his head. "Monica's gonna kill him…" Max still didn't like the idea of Cain peeping on his crush, so he decided to go and stop him.

Cain stood outside the shower room. The sound of running shower water was proof that Monica was in there. "Where's the ol' really big keyholes when ya need 'em?" Cain said while looking at the door. He then grinned stupidly. "Guess I'll just take a walk in!"

"Hey!" Max shouted as he walked up the stairs. "You better leave Monica alone! You know she'll beat you senseless if ya do that!"

"I get it, man!" Cain said. "Ya don't like me looking at your woman while she's nude… so I'll yet you peek first!" Cain slowly twisted the doorknob.

Max ran over and grabbed the doorknob, trying to keep Cain from opening the door. "Back off, Cain!"

Cain tried to shoved Max out of the way, but he pushed him back. Max and Cain both kept a tight grip on the doorknob, but somehow, the door opened. Both Cain and Max lost their balance and fell into the bathroom, and right in on Monica.

"MAX!? CAIN!?" Monica quickly wrapped a towel around her bare body and turned red in the face, both from embarrassment and anger.

Max sheepishly covered his eyes, while Cain's eyes were wide open and his jaw dropped. "I only wanted a peek, but I got a whole show!" He shouted and laughed. But his laughter quickly ended when Monica started to throw every nearby soap, shampoo, and bathroom object at him.

Cain quick retreated, but Monica was about to chase him. She stopped just before she stepped over Max. Max slowly removed his hands from his eyes.

"Monica! Listen!" He hastily explained. "It was an accident! Cain was gonna…so I was trying to stop him! Sorry! I…"

Monica sighed and blushed. "How much…did you see?" She asked nervously.

"Uh… nothing… My face hit the floor and… I'm still sorry… Next time… I'll just let you kill Cain."

When Monica heard Cain's name, she quickly remembered what she wanted to do. "I forgive you, Max… but Cain… I'll make sure he never does this again…" She quickly ran down the stairs looking for him.

Max sighed and rubbed his head. But he began to think to himself. "Monica has a nice figure…" He quickly shook his head. "If she knew I was thinking about her like that, she'd kill me!" Max got up off the floor and went back downstairs. "Better go help Cedric finish the Trans-Pod…" He stopped again. "Wonder what Monica thinks of me…?"

* * *

The next day, Monica, Max, and Cain loaded up the Trans-Pod and headed for the Selceta Forest. Max drove the machine while Monica sat in the passenger seat. Cain sat in the back, resting up for their journey. Coronya was too far behind as she fluttered her wings to follow them. 

"So why do they call it the Forest of Ghosts?" Cain asked. "Ain't like it's swarming with the undead, is it?"

"That's precisely why they call it that." Monica turned and answered. "It's the place where all those who died go to before they are chosen to ascend to heaven."

"So they're gonna be hundreds of dead guys hanging 'round in da air!?" Cain shot up. "Why don't I like the sound of dat?!"

"It's okay, Cain!" Coronya flew around his head. "As long as they don't have any hostility towards the living, you'll be safe!"

"Alright guys." Max said as he made the next turn. "We should be at the forest in a few minutes."

After passing the Sindain Forest, they found a dark, isolated patch of woods that had a eerie aura surrounding it. This was the Selceta Forest. Max stopped the Trans-Pod and everyone disembarked. Cain was forced to carry all 6 of the hurry bags packed for the trip as punishment for peeking on Monica yesterday. Just as they set foot in the forest, a quick wind blew past them.

"Whoa!" Max said as he saw it. A dancing aura of white light surrounded the group. It was the spirit of one who has died, seeming to be welcoming them. When Max looked ahead, he could see more dancing lights all over. "There's so many."

Monica, Max, and Coronya were in awe, while Cain was just frustrated. "Can we get moving!? This stuff is heavy!"

After traveling the woods, and watching the spirits and light fly by, they reached a wooden bridge over a quick rapid. Cain dropped the bags. "Hold it!" He shouted.

"What is it?" Max turned around and looked at him. Monica and Coronya also looked at him.

"Why is it that gotta carry this $#! all by myself?!" Cain complained, with little droplets of saliva escaping his mouth.

"Because you looked at me while I was showering!" Monica shouted back.

"Max did, too! Why does he get off scotch-free?!"

"Because Max was trying to stop you." Monica said.

"I think it's cuz you wanted him to see ya like that!"

Monica and Max both flushed bright red. Cain laughed at this, but Coronya seemed more serious.

"Guys!" The fox fairy shook her paws around wildly. "Shush!"

"Huh?" The three teens look at her. She seemed nervous and in fear.

"I don't know what it is, but something bad is really close by… I can feel it in the air."

Cain was about to argue with her, but he too felt a strange vibe. He dropped the bags. "She's right… it something I can hear someone approaching…"

At that moment, someone was approaching them. His lighting fast feet was heading for the bridge. In a split second, he had made it to the group, and was aimed with two vicious looking knives.

"Hello travelers." The man spoke. He hair was jet black and around his head was a white head band. The grey shirt he wore matched the silver breastplate armor covering his chest. He also sported long grey pants, soft heel ninja shoes, and a black cape flowed freely off his back. "You're in my territory now, so give me all the belonging you have and all the gilda you carry."

"This is the guy…" Cain said, preparing to fight.

The mugger smirked at his targets. "Well boys and girls… what's it going to be? Will this be easy, or messy?"

"Sorry you feel that way…" Max armed himself with his wrench, while Monica drew out her sword. "Because we don't give in to threats!"

"This isn't a threat…" The man pulled out two small blades and pointed them towards Max and the others. "It's a warning."

Cain was about to charge up his energy for a quick blast, when, in a blink of an eye, a quick creature pounced on his back and knocked him down. "AHHHH!!! BACK ATTACK!!!"

Max and Monica turned to him and saw who was attacking. Cain was face down on the bridge with a snarling wolf tearing into the backpack he carried. The wolf looked at them with narrowed eyes and growled.

"Good boy, Blitz." The man praised his pet.

"Call him off!" Max shouted as he and Monica rushed for their mugger.

Before they could reach him, he pulled out a small grey ball and threw it on the ground, releasing a smoke screen. When it cleared, he was gone.

"Where'd he go?" Monica looked around. Max turned around and looked across the bridge.

"Behind us!" He shouted. The man had in his hands the bags that belonged to the group, while the wolf, Blitz, carried the backpack with his teeth.

"Thank you for all you've done for us." The man smiled and bowed. "We'll be taking our leave." Just as he started walking away, Cain got up with anger on his face.

"BLADES OF LIGHT!!!" Cain threw his blades at the man. The man and wolf started running from the scene, dodging the blades.

Not only did he take their supplies, he also took the only Talisman they had. "We gotta go after him!" Monica said as she grabbed Max by the arm and pulled him with her. "He's got our Talisman!"

"Wait for us!" Coronya shouted as she and Cain hurried after them. But before they could get any farther, a swarm of skeleton warriors blocked their path.

"Dammit!" Cain cursed at the army.

The monsters were all armed with razor sharp swords and were ready to attack. The three heroes all prepared to defend themselves. Not only did they have to worry about the Talisman in the thief's possession, but their survival would be tested as well.

* * *

The man who had robbed them was running through the forest at a high rate of speed. His wolf friend matched his speed and was by his side. 

"It's been a while, Blade…" A voice spook to him. He suddenly stopped and looked into the brush, with blades in hand.

"Show yourself!" Blade commanded the voice. Slowly, another figure walked towards him, wearing an almost identical outfit, except his was solid black. Blade looked at him and dropped his weapons. "Cruz… is that you?!"

The man he called Cruz nodded. "Yes Blade…it's been almost 3 years…"

Blade smiled. "Then… she survived?! Tell me!" He approached Cruz, only to receive a slice in the face by Cruz's weapon of choice, a deadly long sword. If he hadn't moved out of the way in time, his whole head would have been taken off. "What?! Cruz?!"

"Like you care about her…" Cruz looked at the blood that dripped off the blade of his sword. "Wasn't it YOU who killed us anyway?"

"What?!?!" Blade shouted in shock as Blitz growled at the one who hurt his master.

/While Max, Monica, and Cain deal with monsters in the forest, the mysterious Blade is facing off against his former friend, Cruz. What is the story behind this thief, and why does his own friend want him dead? Find out next time…/

* * *

START TEASER: 

Cain: The past never dies…

Coronya: Yo Cain! Why so somber?

Cain: Dammit Coronya! I'm trying to sound cool during the teaser! Chicks dig that! Anyway…the past never dies…. Those who remember keep it alive and burning in their minds. Horrible memories seem to be stronger than those of happiness. But when your past differs to that of another, conflict is soon to erupt. Friends turn to rivals and rivals into murderers… and the only way to settle the conflict…is for one to lost their life…

Coronya: Uh… what does that mean?

Cain: It means the guy who stole our crap is up against his past! His old friend feels that he was abandoned by him, and is seeking revenge! But there's more to this meets the eye, and we'll be that much closer to the next talisman! Got it?!

Coronya: You sound cooler when you go straight to the point!

Cain: If any ladies are impressed, you know who said it first! Next Chapter…

Battling the Past!

Preparing for the Future!

Cain: You haven't missed a chap yet. Why start now!?

END TEASER

Sorry this chap took so long to make, I've been having too many distractions, but one of them happens to be a pic I drew of Cain. But since won't let me make a link to it in my story, just find the link on my deviantART gallery in my profile. And don't worry... the next chap won't take nearly as long to make.


	9. Battling the Past

I have returned! My long experience in Basic Training has finally ended and I EARNED the honor of being a part of the world's greatest AIR POWER! (SPACE POWER! AEF!) That's right! Now I can be called Airman Gamerctm! Now I'm attending Technical Training and have the time to write more often. (THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T UPDATE! NO COMPUTER ACCESS TIL NOW!) Not only that... inspire has struck! I've already created future scenes and chapters of this fic. I wanna thanks all those who were patient and hope they still read my work. It's time to get things started! FROM MY LEFT...TO MY RIGHT... REEEEEEEPORT!

/When we last left our heroes, they were now entering the Haunted Forest know as Selceta. A place with the spirits of the decreased stay until their final judgement is decided. While exploring, they met a mysterious thief named Blade, who had just stolen their only Talisman. The hunt is on for him, but what happens when Max, Monica, and Cain encounter a group of skeleton warriors. And what of Blade and his new opponent, Cruz/

Chapter 9:

Battling the Past

Preparing for the Future!

Blade covered his bleeding shoulder as tight as he could to cease the flow of blood. His pet wolf, Akida, growled threatening at Blade's former friend and new enemy, Cruz. Blade looked at Cruz with anger and puzzlement in his eyes.

"You make me sick..." Cruz spat on the ground. "How could you have done that to us... how could you have done that to Jade?"

"Jade?" Blade said. Jade was the name of his old thieving partner. "What happened to her?"

"Bastard!" Cruz cursed. "You saw what happened! You killed her!"

"I did no such thing!"

"Not directly..." Cruz held in his hands a small, heart shaped locket. He opened it and examined the pictures inside... Blade on one side, a beautiful, black haired woman on the other. He remembered the day too well.

It happened 4 years ago... Blade, Cruz, and Jade's biggest theft. They had broken into a solid stone temple and stolen a most precious artifact.

"A panther figurine made of solid diamond..." The woman from the picture said while touching it. "So beautiful... so... flawless..."

Blade put the figurine in his bag. "Don't get too attached to it Jade..." Blade said with a smile. "Remember what we wanna do with it..."

Jade closed her clear blue eyes and smiled. "I know... we want to break it and sell the pieces..."

Blade nodded and walked over to Cruz, who was examining the road up ahead. "That's not all..." He whispered.

Cruz smiled. "Jade's engagement ring... you sly dog. She'll love it."

Before the chat could go any longer, the ground started shaking. "Huh?" Jade looked behind her. "GOLEMS!" An army of stone golems were running towards them.

"Let's run!" Cruz shouted as they all took haste. They ran through and past the fallen stone pillars that were all over the path. Suddenly, Blade tripped over a rock and fell to the ground.

"Huh?" The panther figurine fell out of the bag and was falling to the ground. Before it could hit, Cruz dove for it and caught it in his hands. "Phew... thanks alot Cruz..."

"Be careful with this, Blade." Cruz said while handing it back to him. "Don't wanna lose Jade's ring, now do we?"

"Right!" Blade got up and started running to catch up with Jade. Blade and Cruz jumped over the fallen ruins until they were side by side with her.

Blade got an extra boost of speed and got ahead of his friends. He stepped on a loose piece of ground that set off a trap. Suddenly, several bamboo spears shot at Jade and Cruz.

"BLADE!" Jade's screams and the sounds of spears piercing a human body made Blade turn and around and look at his friends.

Cruz and Jade were trapped in a circle of implanted spears and couldn't escape. Cruz even had 3 spears pierced in his body and left him motionless.

"Blade!" Cruz shouted before the hollow ends of the spears started to flow blood...his. "AHH!" He screamed in agony as he was drained of his blood.

Blade started to run to his friends to help them... but he looked at the diamond figure he had stolen. He stopped running and just stared at his friends. And then saw the Golems approaching fast. He had to make a decision. He clutched the figurine to his chest and started running, leaving his friends to slowly die.

"Blade..." Jade said as she tried to break free. She turned to push the spears out of Cruz's body... but he wasn't even moving anymore. That's when the Golems marched over.

"You left us high and dry, Blade." Cruz ended his memory and looked at Blade with anger and hatred burning in his eyes. "I survived losing nearly all my blood... but Jade... she was captured...killed... because of you!"

"That's not what happened!" Blade shouted. "I tried to help you guys... I did..."

"Then why did Jade die!" Cruz drew his long sword and swung at Blade, slashing him in the chest. Akida growled and lunged for him. "Away with you!" He kicked the wolf in the face and knocked him down.

Akida yelped when he hit the ground. "Akida!" Blade drew his small viper blades and charged for Cruz. "You monster!" He tried to stab Cruz, but he missed and suffered a powerful punch in the face.

Cruz dropped his sword and started to jab at his opponent's face rapidly. Blade backed against a tree and leap onto a branch. Cruz leapt after him and began to pursue him. They jumped from branch to branch until they were on the highest. Cruz rushed him with his fist ready. Blade ducked down and grabbed his arm.

"AHHH!" Blade flipped him off the branch and watched him hit the ground. He then drew out his blades and dove towards him. Cruz rolled out of the way just before Blade could hit him. Cruz leapt to his feet and spin kicked Blade in the head and knocked him down.

Blade leapt to his feet, grabbed his Viper Blades and rushed towards Cruz. His opponent snapped into attention and grabbed Blade's arm when he got close enough. A hard kick in the stomach knocked both the wind and a few drops of blood out of his mouth. Cruz then flipped him over his head and slammed him into the dirt.

Blade got on one knee and wiped him bleeding mouth. He started to pant and wheeze. "This isn't good..." He thought to himself. "Cruz is catching his stride... if I allow the fight to continue any longer..."

Cruz laughed sinisterly. "What's the matter old friend? We've only just begun. Perhaps you're better off standing still so I can finish you off."

"No!" Blade got up and charged at him again. "I'm ending this right n-" Blade suffered a powerful spin kick to his head. Cruz had hit him so hard, the force knocked him against a tree. Blade hit his shoulder blade hard and heard a snap. It was his bone... it had been fractured.

Meanwhile, several yards away, Max and his friends were caught in their own battle.

Max lifted him powerful Grade-Zero over his head and slammed it into the head of a skeleton warrior with all his might. He then spun around and nailed the skeleton coming at him from behind.

Monica had no trouble slashing the skeletons that attacked her with her Sun Sword. "We need to hurry guys! The thief still has the Talisman!"

Cain punched his way out of a gang of skeletons. "Outta my way, bone pile!" He kicked the next one and found his way out. He pulled off a bone arm hanging on him and threw it away. "Hey guys!" He pointed to the wide space between some trees. "I got a pretty bad feeling comin' from over there. Like a demon or sumthin'!"

"Eek!" Coronya ducked the incoming attacks from the skeleton in front of her. "Ahhhhh!" Coronya materialized a small star wand and smacked it into the monster's head. "Take that!"

"HISSSSsssssSSSS!" The skeleton charged at her.

"Ahhhh!" Coronya closed her eyes and floated away.

"HOOOOOOOOOWL!" Akida the wolf came rushing from the wide space and snapped his teeth into the skeleton's leg. "Grrrrrr..." With a good yank, he pulled the leg off and caused the skeleton to fall to pieces.

"BLUE..." Coronya's little fox paws started to glow blue. "BUBBLE! POP!" She fired a large blue bubble from her paws at the bone pile. The bubble surrounded the bones and trapped them. "Now that's teamwork! Thankies Wolfy!" She flew around Akida happily.

Akida let out a confused low growl and looked around. He saw Monica slicing a skeleton in half. He walked up to her and let out a small, non threatening growl.

"Hey..." She put her sword away and looked at Akida. "Were you that wolf that was with that thief?" Akida nodded and looked towards the clearing with a growl. "What is it boy?"

Cain just finished off the last skeleton when he walked over to the wolf and princess. "What's with that animal?"

"I don't know." Monica looked at where Akida was looking. "He's staring at that clearing... where you said you could sense a demon, Cain."

"I think he wants us to go there." Max suggested as he reloaded his gun. Akida growled in agreement and ran into the clearing at full speed. "I'll bet he'll lead us to the thief too!" Max chased after him.

"Max! Wait up!" Monica ran to try and catch up with him.

Cain was the last to follow. "Hey! That brainless mutt might led us to trouble!"

Back at Cruz and Blade's battle, Cruz had hung up his sword for now and was rapidly punching Blade in the chest. Blade couldn't block the blows and was being forced back against a tree. Blade groaned in pain every time a punch connected.

"Cruz is too fast for me..." Blade thought to himself. "If only I could..." Blade pushed his arm towards his side. "Got it!" He pulled from a sheath a Viper Blade and swung at Cruz. He backed away from the blade and dodged it. "No!"

Cruz stood away from Blade with a evil smile on his face. But when a small trail of blood appeared on his arm, his smile turned to a look of rage. "You managed to cut me... I don't like that, OLD FRIEND!" Cruz pulled out his long sword and stabbed it into Blade's hurt shoulder.

"Ahh! CRUZ!" Blade shouted in agony. The blade was stabbing at his fractured bone.

"Hurts... don't it." Cruz grinned, then looked angry. "Imagine how it felt to me!"

Blade growled and made a bold move. He walked deeper into the blade. "Ahhhhhh...ARGH!" He then stabbed his knife into Cruz's stomach. Blood covered the knife and his hand.

"Grrrr..." Cruz narrowed his eyes and pulled the sword out of Blade's shoulder with a thrust."

"AHHH!" Blade felt the sharp pain, and felt even more pain when Cruz spin kicked him right in the face. Blade was knocked away from Cruz and hit the ground, landing on his stomach.

Cruz pulled the knife out of his stomach and threw on the ground next to Blade. "You've show me the kind of person you truly are, Blade." Cruz stood over Blade's back, holding his sword over his head. He was ready to stab the long sword right into his back. "You killed me once before... but now I kill you!"

"FIRE...BALL!" When that was shouted, a large fireball flew towards Cruz and hit him in the back.

"UH...ARGH!" Cruz spun around and glared into the distance. "WHO DID THAT!"

Monica stood between two trees, her hand still warm from the magic. "Is this the thing you were sensing Cain?"

"Yeah!" Cain and Max were standing next to her. "He's nuthin' but dark power! Go find safe ground you two!" He looked at Akida and Coronya.

"Right!" Coronya said as she and Akida left the scene.

"Reinforcements?" Cruz looked at Blade. "You can't even fight alone, can you?" Blade was laying there, growling in pain. "I'll handle you later..." Cruz looked at the 3 heroes and readied his sword. "Who wants to die first?"

"I volunteer..." Cain said with a grin. "To kicking your ass!" Cain charged him at full speed. Cruz swung his sword when he got close. Cain leap in the air and dodged it. "Swing and a miss!" Cruz growled angrily. Cain created a small ball of dark energy and threw it at Cruz while in midair.

Cruz stepped back and swung his sword in a circle in front of him. It created a shield that blocked the energy and made it vanish. "HAAAAAAAAH!" Cruz swung his sword and hit Cain in the stomach. The force knocked Cain back and forced him to the ground.

"Yeouch!" Cain looked at the cut on his shirt. "That's sharp."

Max ran towards Cruz and pulled out a rapid fire gun. "How 'bout some lead!" Max held the trigger down and fired his ammo at Cruz. But Cruz gracefully moved his blade around so quick that he blocked and stopped every bullet fired. "Whoa! He's quick! And precise!"

"And you're dead, kid!" Cruz rushed at him and vertically slashed at Max. But the young kid rolled out of the way and pulled out the Grade Zero.

"HAH!" Max swung the wrench at Cruz. Cruz quickly swung at Max with his sword. The weapons locked and both were trying to push the other back.

Monica pulled out the Sun Sword. "Here I come Max!" She ran to his side and swung at Cruz. But thanks to a slight reposition, Cruz was now locked with both their weapons.

"2 against 1?" Cruz said displeased. "And you still can't beat me."

"How bout 3 against 1!" Cain jumped to his feet and charged at Cruz once more. His fist glowed with light energy. Cain leap towards Cruz and punched him hard in the right side of his face.

"Argh..." Cruz was knocked to the side and fell to the ground. Max and Monica held back their weapons and looked at him.

"What the...?" Monica was in shock. "His face!"

"Huh?" Cain felt something hanging off his fist. He took a look and saw a piece of Cruz's face on it. "Oh crap! Is that his skin!"

Cruz groaned and kneeled up using his hand for support. He slowly rose to his feet. A large piece of his face was missing and part of his bloody skull was exposed. "You have caused me pain..." Cruz glared at the three heroes with hatred burning in his eyes. "I do not... like that..."

Back in peaceful Palm Brinks, Cedric was hard at work on the BlackOre Railroad. He had help from Borneo and Erik, and Gerald was there watching.

"By the time I'm done with it..." Cedric said as he was putting some touches on the engine of the train. "This train will be better than ever."

"I've always thought highly of your work, Cedric." Gerald complimented. "Wish I could say I was excited about this though..."

"What? You're not, Gerald?" Cedric moved on to the next part of the engine and began working on it.

"Once it's finish, Max is going to leave again. For who knows how long."

"You shelter that boy to much..." Cedric walked to the other side and started tightening some loose bolts. "Max is able to make his own choices in life."

"I realize that, but fighting monsters and saving the world is a bit much for him, don't you think?"

"Go ahead and worry, Gerald. I worry too, but it's not too much for him. He and Monica saved us before... they'll do it again."

Gerald decided to turn away and started walking, but he was stopped by a beautiful woman. "It's been so long Gerald..."

Gerald looked as if he's seen a ghost. "You... You've returned?"

Cedric couldn't help but look. "Huh! Aren't you..." He lost his balance and fell off the train. "Whoa!" He hit the hard ground. "Ouch... Max's mother?"

"AHH!" Cain shouted as Cruz grabbed him by his neck. "Hey man, it was an accident!" He was referring to ripping part of Cruz's face off. "I'm sure a little tape can fix it!" Cruz threw Cain hard into a tree. He crashed into hard and slid to the ground. "AHH!"

"You took part of my face away..." Cruz gritted his teeth and rushed at him. "How about I rip off yours?"

"Here's an idea!" Cain's fist started to glow again. "How bout I just even it out for ya?" Cain performed a powerful uppercut at Cruz, but is missed when he stepped back. Cain landed on his feet. "Dammit!" Cruz thrust kicked Cain in the stomach and made him bend at the waist. "OWWWW!" Cruz grabbed him by the throat again and forced his head into the tree, causing the bark to break away.

Max fired several rounds of ammo at Cruz from behind. Cruz spun around and stopped every bullet again with his long sword. Cruz moved with lightning speed at Max and punched him in the face. Max was knocked down, but quickly leapt back to his feet.

"Not bad..." Max grinned and wiped the small line of blood on his mouth. Max drew out the Legend and thrust it into Cruz's stomach.

"Uhgh!" Cruz opened his mouth and blood flew out of it as his stomach was crushed by the hammer. "Grrrr..." Cruz clenched his fist and blasted Max with a powerful jab in the chin. He then used his other fist to hook him. He could only get two punches connect before Monica started hitting him with rapid magic blasts.

"Now it's my turn!" Monica drew out her sword and charged at him. She slashed the sword. Cruz held up his hand and let it be hit. The skin flew off it and the skeletal hand was exposed. With it, he grabbed the sword's blade and pulled Monica closer. "No!" Cruz kicked her in the chest and knocked her away. She moaned in pain and hit the ground. "Ahhhh..."

"Monica!" Max shouted her name and glared at Cruz. "You monster!" Max had a white knuckled grip on the Legend and swung at Cruz's head. Cruz turned around and stopped the hammer by grabbing it just as it was overhead. "WHAT?"

"Bad move!" Cruz said with an evil grin. He pushed the hammer back and made Max lose his balance. He had both fists ready and started to punch him in the face. He moved quick and delivered endless punch after punch. Max couldn't even block one and was being pounded mercilessly.

"Oh man..." Cain got up and saw the scene. "Max is his punching bag... not for long though!" Cain ran at Cruz and jumped. "Look out below!"

"Huh?" Cruz has dropped kick in back. Cain forced his foot into his back and pushed hard, trying to snap the spine. "AHHHHHRGH!" Cruz grabbed the handle of his long sword.

"What!" Cain and Cruz were both on their feet when Cruz spun around and started to swing his sword wildly. Cain moved quick and dodged every slash while taking steps back. Cruz suddenly stopped and looked at Cain. Cain's shirt had several cuts in it. "Damn... I really like that shirt too." Cain had a cocky smile on his face, but it fell when he felt blood running down his right arm. His arm had a large cut across it. "Guess ya got me."

Cruz swung at Cain again, but this time he grabbed the blade and stopped it with his barehands. Cain tightened his grip and held it still. "I'll end your life now..."

"Wrong again, asshole!" Cain's hands started to bleed, but he refused to let go. Cruz gritted his teeth and tried moving his sword. "I know you hate me now... but let's see if you hate me more after I do this!" Cain moved one hand and threw some blood into Cruz's eyes.

"AHHHH!" Cruz let go of his sword and rubbed his eyes. Cain's fists glowed. He preformed a one-two punch combo to Cruz's stomach and finished with an uppercut to his chin. Cruz was knocked off his feet and down on the ground.

"Game over friend!" Cain created a large ball of dark energy, ready to throw.

"GrrrrRRRRR AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHH!" Cruz screamed in fury and was clearly full of rage. His body blasted a large line of dark energy into the sky.

"WHOA!" Cain stopped the energy he had and made it vanish. "This guy is pissed off!"

"RAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Cruz leapt to his feet a slashed at Cain with his fingernails. He left a long, bloody cut on his chest. He made another swipe and cut him in the chest again, making him shout in pain. Cruz punched Cain in the stomach. He then punched him hard in the face and knocked him into the dirt.

Cain hit the ground, back first, and spit out some blood. He laid there while Cruz out his foot on his chest. "You're not... gonna kill me... I won't let you..." Cruz lifted his foot off and then stomped hard on his chest. "Ahhhhh!" Cruz did it again, harder this time. Cain lost some more blood from out his mouth. "ARGH!" Cruz stomped him one more time and stopped.

"You..." He said in a dark, low tone. "All 3 of you..." He looked at Max and Monica, who were just now getting back up. "I'll make sure you all suffer!"

Blade was watching the violence from the ground. Still in pain, he couldn't get up. "Cruz... why... why are you doing this?" Blade said with tears falling from his eyes. "You would never..."

Cruz spin kicked Monica in the face and knocked her back down. "You weak, little..." Cruz kicked her in the side and made her roll to her stomach.

"Please..." Blade was begging to no one. "Tell me why... you're acting this way. Even if you were angry, you'd never do something like this."

Max was back on his feet when Cruz arrived. "Suffer!" Cruz punched Max in the stomach and grabbed his throat. He was now strangling him, squeezing the breath out of him.

"Damn it..." Blade was trying to look away, but he couldn't help but watch. "Cruz... what happened to you?"

START FLASHBACK:

Two young boys, one the Cruz and the other with no name, were standing outside a dark cave. Armed with wooden swords, they were going to explore it.

"Ok..." The young Cruz turned to the other boy. "We're gonna run in and take all the treasure 'til we can't carry no more!"

"Do you think we'll be rich?" The other boy asked.

"Yeah! You can buy yourself a name with the loot we gonna get! By the way... why don't you have a name?"

"I dunno." The boy kicked the ground. "My parents died when I was really little, and the woman who takes care of me gave me a stupid name."

"What is it?"

"Archibald..." The boy stuck his tongue. "Yuk!"

Cruz laughed. "Oh boy! What a stupid name! No wonder you say you got no name!"

"I want a better name... something tough and cool!"

"How bout... " Cruz looked at the toy sword in his hand. "Blade!"

"Blade? Like a sword?"

"More like a knife... Knife Blade will be your full name!"

"Hmm..." The boy scratched his head and grinned. "Nah! Blade is much cooler!"

"'K! From this day on, I deem you Archibald no more! You are..." Cruz took the toy and dubbed the other boy. "Blade! The greatest treasure hunter alive! Second to Cruz of course!"

The newly named Blade smiled. He thought to himself, "I'm glad I didn't tell him my middle name..."

NEXT FLASHBACK:

Cruz and Blade are now older. They have left their old village and are leaving in a small forest. Being poor, however, they are forced to become Highwaymen to make money. They are hiding in the trees by a dusty road, waiting for their next victim.

Blade spotted someone coming down the road. "Our next target is coming, Cruz..."

"I see him..." Cruz was in another tree. "Ok... on my count, we'll fall out of the tree, flash our weapons, he drops the loot and runs away. Got it?"

"Right!"

The person drew closer. "One... two... THREE!"

Cruz and Blade both leapt from the trees and stood in front of their victim. "Your gilda or you life!" Blade said, but was shocked when he saw the person up close. "Oops!" They were trying to rob a huge, muscled man with a scary look on his face.

"Don't be scared, Blade!" Cruz said while drawing his long sword. "This ugly guy is no match for our weapons!"

"Oh yeah!" Blade drew out his Viper Blades and growled. "Give us the money and no one gets hurt.

A few moments later...

The man was calmly walking away from Blade and Cruz. Blade was laying on the ground, beaten up and too weak to stand.

"Owwwwwwowwwww..." Blade moaned, covering his bleeding nose.

"Sorry Blade..." Cruz apologized and grabbed some bandages. "I didn't think he'd run ya over like that."

"After the 13th punch..." Blade said in pain. "I figured we were robbing the wrong guy... Owwwwch..."

After a few minutes of first aid, Cruz and Blade started heading home by walking down the path. Blade was now bandaged up and able to walk.

"That's ok Blade!" Cruz said with a grin. "The next robbery will be a piece of cake."

"HYAH!" Someone screamed this and caught Blade and Cruz's attention. Suddenly, a beautiful, black haired woman leapt from a tree and had two knives in her hands. "Lay all your gilda on the ground and leave..."

"Ya see, Blade!" Cruz said, while drawing his long sword. "We're gonna rob a girl now."

Blade pulled out his Viper Blades. "You lay your gilda down and leave!"

"Oh... a couple of wannabe highwaymen, huh?" The woman sneered and laughed. "One that looks like he got hit by a train."

"You don't wanna get hurt now, girlie..." Cruz stepped closer. The woman suddenly jumped and kicked him in the face. "Ahh!" Cruz was knocked back and hit the dirt.

"Cruz!" Blade shouted for his friend and looked at the woman. "That was a cheap shot!"

"So what?" The woman looked at Blade. "What are YOU going to do about it?"

"You little!" Blade charged at her with his Viper Blades. She blocked them with her own knives and the two thieves engaged in a knife fight. Their knives clashed with each other as they both moved with grace.

Cruz shook out of his daze and watched them. "Go get 'er Blade!" A few minutes later... the knife battle continued. "Ya got her on the ropes, Blade!" An hour later... "She's getting tired, Blade!" 2 hours later... "Uh... you guys done yet?" 5 hours later... "Yaaaaaawn... Uh... go Blade. Yeah..."

Blade and the woman were still fighting, a lot slowly than 5 hours ago. Blade swung his knife into her knife and took a breath. She swung her knife into his knife and panted slowly. Blade decided to take a step back and look at her.

"You're...pretty tough... Got a name?" He asked while taking slow breaths.

"I'm... called Jade..." She said, while yawning. "What is... your name?"

Blade yawned and started to wobble. "B...Blade..."

"B...Blade..." Jade smiled a little. "Nice to meet...cha..." She closed her eyes and collapsed.

"Yeah Blade!" Cruz cheered for his friend and comrade. "Ya beat her! Ha-ha! Huh?" He looked and saw that Blade had collapsed too. "Wha?" His hand was holding Jade's hand as they both slept peacefully after their battle. Cruz laughed. "Well I'll be darned!"

Back in reality...

Cruz was still choking Max, ready to strangle him to death. But Monica rose up and charged at him.

"Put him down!" She yelled and swung the sword at Cruz. He dropped Max on the ground and dodged the sword. He then grabbed it and pulled Monica closer. "Fireball!" She created a large ball of flames with her hand and threw into Cruz's face.

Cruz didn't even let the smoke clear before he punched Monica in the stomach and grabbed her by the collar. The smoke around his face blew away and it showed that more of his face has been burnt off, exposing more of his bare skull. The skull was starting to turn blood red. Monica's eyes widen in horror as she watched his face practically melt off.

"What...what are..." Monica whispered. Cruz grabbed her by neck and head and threatened to twist and snap her neck. "No!"

"CRUZ!" Blade slowly got up. "Don't do it! Don't make me..."

"Make you what?" Cruz glared at him. "Kill me? Destroy me? Why don't you try! Are you not strong enough!"

"Cruz..."

NEXT FLASHBACK:

"Hey Cruz..."

"Yeah, Blade?"

The two thieves were in the hideout, a dark cave with little light and a lot of space. Jade was out on a walk, enjoying the beautiful summer day outside. "I've been thinking...about me and Jade..."

"You're gonna do it, huh?" Cruz smiled at the idea of what Blade was planning to do. "Just remember to treat her good..."

"I don't know..." Blade said worriedly. "You think it's too soon... I mean, I wanted to wait until we we're all out of the thief game."

"Is that all it'll take?" Cruz grinned and shook his head. "Well... I guess it's time for one last heist. But it's gonna be a big one! And we're gonna steal something really special... something we can use, for Jade's engagement ring... right Blade?"

Blade smiled and shook his friend's hand. "Thank you so much! Will you honor me by being the best man at the wedding?"

"Honor you?" Cruz bowed. "The honor... is all mine."

FINAL FLASHBACK:

The huge and final heist was near completion. All Blade, Cruz, and Jade had to do was run...

"BLADE!" Jade's screams and the sounds of spears piercing a human body made Blade turn and around and look at his friends.

Cruz and Jade were trapped in a circle of implanted spears and couldn't escape. Cruz even had 3 spears pierced in his body and left him motionless.

"Blade!" Cruz shouted before the hollow ends of the spears started to flow blood...his. "AHH!" He screamed in agony as he was drained of his blood.

Blade was in so much shock for his friends, he dropped the panther figurine and it shattered on the ground. "CRUZ! JADE!" He ran to them and tried to pull the spears out. Meanwhile, the Goloms were drawing closer. Blade, however, didn't care how close they were getting.

Cruz, however, did. "Blade! Get out of here! NOW!"

"No!" Blade yelled back at him. "I'm not leaving you guys!"

"Blade! You'll be captured and killed!" Jade pleaded with him. "Please! Be reasonable!"

"And what! Let you two die? NEVER!"

"Blade!" Cruz gasped out. He was losing too much blood, too fast. "I... I'll make sure...Jade makes it out ok. But don't worry about me... I'm... " Cruz smiled a little at his oldest and dearest friend. "I'm already dead..." The spears stopped flowing blood. He was completely dry.

"No... Cruz..." Blade started to cry. "Don't say that."

"Run..." Cruz whispered and gasped. "Run away... and...keep Jade safe... Be happy... together." Cruz lowered his head, and just stopped talking.

"CRUZ!" Blade and Jade both shouted in misery.

"Please Blade!" Jade said with tears flowing from her eyes. "Run!"

Blade couldn't say, or do anything. His legs took over him and pulled him away from his almost-fiancee. He kept looking over at her as the Goloms surrounded her and the lifeless body of Cruz. "N...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Cruz..." Blade was back in the forest, looking down at the ground. "You gave up your life to protect us. That's why I didn't say you. You wanted us to live. Cruz..." He looked up and saw the torn apart Cruz, ready to break Monica's neck. "I know no what is going on... but you are not Cruz... you imposter..." Blade felt his fist shake and body tremble. "You appear and dare ruin my friend's good name?" He narrowed his eyes and had a fierce look on his face. "You imposter! You think I'll allow that!"

"Shut up." 'Cruz' said and focused his attention on Monica. "I'll shatter your neck bone... you know that already?" Monica tried to fight back, but his grip was too strong.

"LOOK AT ME!" Blade pulled out his Viper Blades, they started to glow bright green.

"What?" 'Cruz dropped Monica and looked at it. "What is this power? And why do you have it?"

"I am Blade... a Thief of Justice..." Blade took a stance and faced down the fake Cruz. "Your kind of evil is what brings this world to depression. It is my calling to see that your evil is destroyed. Monster... suffer the power of the Viper!"

"Viper!" 'Cruz drew out his long sword. "I won't give you the chance..." He charged at Blade. "To use it!"

"Viper Strike... attack!" Blade threw his knives straight at Cruz. They left a stream of green light as they jetted towards their target. "Bring down evil!" The knives both flew into Cruz's body and stuck. Suddenly, green energy began to cover and shock the monster.

"ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH!" 'Cruz' screamed in agony. His skin and body was now completely falling apart. His red skeleton was being exposed. "It... HURTS! WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?"

Monica and Max got up and caught their breath. "Max! Look at what's happening!" Monica said and pointed at the fake Cruz.

"Wow..." Max was clearly impressed. "Such power..."

"Hey!" Cain shouted. "I'm the only one in this forest who should use energy attacks! Hmm..." He closed his eyes and sensed all around. "Blade's anger must have broken his energy limit... but what is this faint energy I'm feeling... that's coming outta that monster?"

'Cruz', who was now reduced to a red skeleton, was standing before Blade when the energy around him disappeared. "You son of a bitch! You're not supposed to be this powerful!"

"You made me mad..." Blade merely explained his actions. The Viper Blades vanished from 'the monster's body and reappeared in Blade's hands."And made my friend and mentor seem like a wicked person. Cruz has more courage than you can ever have." Blade's Viper Blades were still glowing. "Now return to wherever you were spawned!" Blade rushed at full speed towards the skeleton. He fast feet made his move like lightning. "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" With two slashes of his knives, he rushed pass the monster and out his blades away.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The monster's body was slashed in two and emitted a bright light. In a few seconds, the boney creature exploded in a bright blast of fire and was reduced to aches. A small red ball of light flew into the sky.

"Huh?" Blade stared at it. "Is that..."

"What is that, Monica?" Max asked as he helped Monica back on her feet.

"It's..." She was in awe as she watched. "A spirit..."

"That energy..." Cain was looking at it as well. "Is the energy of a man who had died a while ago. That monster musta ate it or something."

The ball of light started to form into a person. A person who Blade knew very well. "It is you!" Blade's mouth opened. "Cruz!"

It was true. Cruz's spirit was standing before him, smiling... and at peace. "Hey there Blade... what's up?"

"You... you really are dead then..." Blade looked down sadly.

"Don't be sad for me... I'm ok, really. Well... I am now. I'm sorry..." Cruz looked at the ashes of the monster. "The skeleton consumed my spirit... and used it to form his own body and learn my skills. Also... he filled me with images of you being killed, which made me angry... and made him stronger."

"Cruz... it's alright." Blade smiled, with tears ready to fall. "I should have known it was a fake."

Cruz looked at Blade and smiled. "Jade's alive."

"Huh?" This surprised Blade. "She is! Really! Where is she!"

"That..." Cruz shook his head. "I do not know. She was able to escape the spears and monsters, but I'm afraid that's all I know."

"Then... I'll search for her. No matter how long it takes... I will find her."

"Blade... there's more I must tell you... The three travelers behind you." He pointed at Max, Monica, and Cain. "There are on a adventure, to slay an evil demon known as Dark Element. He is also known as Griffin and Rota. What ever you want to call him, he must be destroyed. I could hear the monster say that once he killed the three, he would take their only Talisman." Blade pulled on the Talisman he took from the heroes. "That's the one. Blade... the trap... the monsters... it was all Griffon's doing. We robbed him of a important artifact."

"That panther figurine..." Blade pulled out a shiny shard of it. "You died... because of him..."

"Please... don't be concerned about me. Think about the millions of other people who might die in his hands. Blade... will you please help them?"

"I don't know... if they'll even accept my help."

"Of course we will!" Monica said. "This is everyone's war, you know."

"You've suffered just as everyone else has, Blade." Max added, seeing him and his dead friend. "Now you can make a difference!"

"You kick almost as much ass as i do!" Cain gave him a thumbs up.

Blade smiled and nodded. "Yes... it is settled." He turned and looked at Cruz. "I will join them! Huh?" Cruz was floating up towards the clouds. "Cruz!"

"My time here is over... I must return to heaven now." Cruz smiled as he looked down at the heroes. "Blade... don't forget Jade. She's waiting for you... And make sure all those monsters get wiped out!"

"Right Cruz!" Blade nodded and put his fist to his heart. "I will not fail you..." In a few moments, the light faded, and Cruz's spirit was gone. Resting peacefully in heaven. Blade suddenly hear Akida's howl and saw him running towards him. "Akida!" The wolf happily crashed into the thief and knocked him down, licking him in the face. "Cut it out, boy!" Blade laughed.

"Hey guys!" Coronya flew to them with excitement. "I found the next time gate! It'll take us to the future!"

"We'll go tomorrow..." Monica said while taking a seat on the grass. She took a breath and sighed.

"Something wrong Monica?" Cain decided to go chat with Blade, while Max stayed with Monica.

"Look at us... all that trouble we and fighting one monster. I sudden to think what the next one will be like..."

"Monica..." Max said deeply concerned.

Blade gave Cain the Talisman back. "Hey..."

"Yeah?" Cain replied to Blade.

"What'll happen next?"

"Another fight... with a even more powerful demon." Cain looked at the Talisman. "'Cept..." He closed his hand slowly. "He'll have one of these to power himself up... It ain't gonna be easy... or pretty..."

/Our heroes rest for now... they'll need all they can get when they face off against the next opponent. Will they be able to destroy him and claim his Talisman? Even with Blade's assistance... they could still be out powered./

START TEASER:

Blade: Blade here... thief, treasure hunter, and the newest addition to the team. We'll have our hands full in the next battle.

Cain: Yeah! They only mentioned it like 4 times at the end of this chapter! But what are we up against? Skulls, ghosts, vengeful soldier spirits and ghouls with a hunger for raw flesh, and one freak who can bring the dead back to life! A freakin' Necromancer!

Blade: Yes... and while you, Max, and I deal with the monsters, Monica deals with the Necromancer... alone.

Cain: Hey... someone wanted Monica to get more attention, here it is! She could get killed!

Blade: She's tougher than she looks however.

Cain: Yeah... and her chest is bigger than... OUCH! HEY! SHE THREW A FIREBALL AT ME!

Blade: You probably deserved it... next chapter!"

The Talisman of Rebirth

and the Joyful Necromancer

Cain: If you ain't reading this... you got freakin' problems!

END TEASER:

A/N: It's good to be back! Also... if anyone out there knows where I can find a good FREE grammer checker, please tell me. I got a great spell checker, but it's my grammer that needs help. Thanks for reading... don't forget to review!


	10. The Joyful Necromancer

/It was a hard fight for our heroes last time. Blade, a thief who had robbed them of their only talisman, was facing off against his former friend and ally, Cruz. After nearly being killed by his hand, Blade was saved when Max, Monica, and Cain intervened. However, they were not strong enough to defeat him, and all 3 were were on the brink of death. Blade realized that Cruz wasn't really Cruz at all, but a monster sent to destroy Max and his friend, and got back in the fight. With one powerful slash, the monster was destroyed and the spirit of the real Cruz could rest in peace after being released. Now the group must travel to the future, but with Blade now on the team, things seemed to be looking up. Will it stay that way/

Chapter 10:  
The Talisman of Rebirth  
and the Joyful Necromancer

It was late at night at Rota's Castle in the future as he looked out the top tower window. He closed his eyes and reopened them as he turned to his loyal order of demons.

"It seems as if Gacki, the red skeleton we sent to kill those 3..." Rota said slowly, and coldly. "Has been defeated."

"It was too much for him to handle, my lord." One demon shrouded in darkness said. "Failure was unavoidable."

Rota gritted his teeth in frustration. "I won't tolerate failure... not even from pathetic creatures such as him!" Rota formed a dark aura at his right fist. "I don't want these children to be running this time period! Or any! Is that clear!"

"Sir..." One of the shadows rose up. "They are heading to the territory I control. If you will allow me, I'll see to it that they suffer a most horrid end."

"Yes, Saro... I know you will. Because you won't show your face here again if you fail." Rota nodded his head. "Leave now."

"Yes, my lord." The shadow then vanished from the room.

"You're really going to trust Saro with killing them?" A female demon spoke. "You know the methods he uses, my lord."

"Yes..." Rota then smiled evilly. "And they'll be perfect..."

* * *

The sun shined through the leaves and branches of the Selceta Forest. It had been a long night of rest for the now 4 heroes, and they were still out. Max caught the first sight of light when it shined on his face and woke him. He slowly opened his eyes and stared at the sky. The clear azure sky and white rolling clouds made him forget about his cares for a moment. But he started to think about what was really going on with his life now.

"That was a pretty good sleep..." He said in his mind while laying on the soft ground. He turned over and saw Blade and Cain, still sleeping. Blade was in a sitting position against a rock and Cain was just laying on the ground, mouth wide open and drool oozing out of it. "I'm glad we got Blade on our side now. The way he killed that skeleton yesterday really saved our lives." Max slowly got up and stretched. "Today we head to the future... and we search for the next talisman. I hope this will be a lot easier than it was yesterday." Max then caught a whiff of something. It smelled like bad B.O. It was him. "Man... I smell... I could use a good bath right about now. I think I remember seeing a pond somewhere."

Soon, Max found the pond and was enjoying a nice soak. He set his clothes and weapons near a tree and walked into the water. He leaned against a rock in the middle of the pond and relaxed.

"So much have happened in the past few days." Max was in deep thought. "Just when I thought my adventures were over, all of sudden, I'm fighting again. Not that I mind though. At least I get to be with Monica again..." His mind shifted to last night. When he and Monica had a quiet conversation while watching the stars...

* * *

Last night...

"Sure is a beautiful night, Max..." Monica was in awe watching the stars. She always loved staring into the night sky. She couldn't even notice Max looking at her, with a small smile on his face. For them, this was the only moment of peace they could find in their journeys.

Max turned his eyes back to the starry, night sky. "Hey Monica... what did you do while you were back home?"

"You mean after our last adventure?"

"Yeah..."

"Well... because my father is..." Monica frowned for a moment and shook her head. "Anyway... I started learning how to be a monarch basically."

"You mean, like a queen?"

"In my home, the only way to become queen is to either marry a prince, or you can get the position if both the king and current queen pass away. And... that's what will happen... I'll be queen."

"Oh..."

"...You don't know how lucky you are, Max..."

"What do you mean?"

"You have both your parents... even if your mother is in the future. You also have friends..."

"You don't have friends? What about me?"

"Well of course you!" Monica smiled. "In my home, there isn't anyone my age to hang out with. So... you're the only friend I got. I guess it's kinda strange... being friends with someone who's 100 years separated from you."

"...No it isn't..." Max smiled. "Not to me at least."

"Max..." Monica started to lower her hand towards his, but stopped and pulled away shyly. "Thank you..."

* * *

Max ended his thoughts when he heard a splash come from behind the rock he was leaning against. "Wha?" He thought to himself in surprise. "Who else is here?" Max slowly and quietly moved around and peeked his head out from behind the rock. After getting a good glimpse at what was on the other side, his eyes bugged out and his jaw dropped. "Ahhhhhhhhhh..." He quietly groaned out in fear.

On the other side of the rock, with her back turned, was the girl of his dreams Monica... bathing in the same lake just a few feet away from him. Her hair was undone and covered her back completely. She pulled it up and Max got a good sight of her bare back.

"Oh damn..." Max whispered. "She's... here?... Taking a bath too! This is bad! She'll kill me! I better..." Max started to back away but couldn't stop staring at Monica. "So..So... beauti..." He saw her slowly turn around... "WAH?" He was in so much shock he full over and made a loud splash.

"Huh?" Monica said as she looked over.

Max got his head out of the water and back above the surface. He looked and saw Monica, who was underwater enough so that her chest couldn't be seen. "Oh... uh..." Max stammered and had a bleeding nose. "H-h-hey there Monica... heh...heh..."

Monica just stood there, and her face was turning red as a beet. "M...Max!" Max tried to back away...

* * *

"You did a very bad thing..." Cain muttered while still in a deep sleep. "Becky saw a snake here... ma said we can't come here anymore..."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"WAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Cain and Blade quickly leapt to their feet and on the ground. Blade stood at a battle ready pose while Cain swung his fists wildly.

"We're under attack!" Blade said. "We must prepare to defend ourselves!" Cain punched Blade hard in the face. "ACK!" Blade rubbed his face and angrily slapped Cain in the back of the head. "Idiot!"

"Hey!" Cain rubbed the spot on his head he got slapped on. "Your face was in da way! Better move next time or you'll lose some teeth!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"That was Monica's scream..." Blade said in worry. "She must be encountering some dangerous foe."

"Well whadda we waiting for!" Cain shouted. "Let's move!" They both ran... in different directions.

"Cain!" Blade shouted to him. "This way!"

"Right!" Cain turned around and ran after him."

* * *

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" Max covered his eyes and started moving around in panic.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Monica screamed from the top of her lungs.

"Right!" Max turned around and started running. He saw a water snake swim across his path. "Whoa!" He stopped and fell back... landing on top of Monica and taking her down underwater with him. He leapt back to his feet with red all over his face. Monica did the same.

* * *

"GET OFF OF ME!"

"My gosh..." Blade said as he and Cain ran towards the sound. "She's being tortured..."

"C'mon!" Cain started to run faster. "Full speed ahead!"

The two ran faster until they both crashed face first into a large tree. The impact shook loose the bee hive in it's branches. It fell into the now sitting Cain's lap.

"Huh?" Cain saw what it was and his eyes opened wide. "Oh $#+..." The millions of bees all fell out of it and flew all around Cain and Blade. The two tried to out run them, but were still getting stung. "I HATE BEES! I HATE BEES! I HATE BEES!"

* * *

Soon, after a while and order was somewhat restored...

Cain and Blade, covered in white bandages and applying some medicine to their sting wounds, were sitting on the ground.

Monica, now full dressed, was looking very angry and glaring daggers at Max, who was dressed and had a big black eye. "I can't believe you Max..."

"It was an accident... I swear it!"

"You're the reason we got attacked by bees, Max." Blade said bluntly.

"Ya dumass!" Cain threw his empty medicine bottle at Max's head. "You really got me and Blade messed up ya know!"

"You're a no-good pervert, Max!" Monica said harshly. "You're no better than Cain."

"Hey-hey-hey!" Cain turned to her. "I was trying to save the screaming maiden at the lake, which happened to be you! So you ain't got no right to say that crap to me."

"And you two!" Blade and Cain shook in fear when Monica called them out. "You couldn't even find the right DIRECTION to the lake! How stupid are you guys?"

"On a scale of one to ten..." Blade started to say, but Cain stopped him.

"Ingrate!" Cain said loudly. "We woulda found ya eventually! Stop being such a..."

"Such a what..." Monica glared at him with fire in her eyes.

Cain wasn't intimidated... or smart for that matter. "Such a... bi..."

WHAM!

Cain was now lying face down on the ground, with a huge pink lump on his head. Monica unclenched her fist. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, Cain..." She turned her eyes towards Max. "I'm not done with you... I'll deal with you later. I'm taking a walk." She turned and started walking away.

"Wonder what's her problem?" Cain said as he was rising up.

"Think about it..." Blade said and looked at him. "How would you feel if a guy caught you while you were bathing?"

"I'd be pissed... but if a chick caught me... then..." Cain grinned at his dirty thoughts.

Blade sighed in annoyance. "Idiot..."

Max looked down at the ground sadly. "She's really mad at me... She even gave me a black eye."

Coronya, who had been sleeping on top of the sleeping Akida's warm fur, floating into the air and opened her eyes. "Yaaaaawn..." She shook her head slowly and looked at everyone with a big smile. "Morning guys!" She then looked at Max and flew towards him. "Huh?" She poked his face a little with her paw. "Why the long face, Max?"

"His woman kicked his ass after he saw her bathing." Cain answered non-nonchalantly.

Max turned red from embarrassment. "She's not my woman! And it was an accident!" His face turned back to normal. "But she probably hates me now."

"Awww!" Coronya smiled a big anime smile. "Monica could never hate you Max! You're too much of a sweet, kind, big, brave, strong, handsome gentleman!"

"Coronya really goes all out to cheer people up." Blade said while a sweat dropping.

"If I didn't know better..." Cain scratched his chin. "I'd say that little fox fairy had a thing for Max..."

"Don't worry Max." Coronya hugged Max in the arm. "I still love you..." She said sweetly.

Cain and Blade just stood there stunned. "Uh... but you're a fox and he's a human." They both said at the same time.

"Not that kind of love, sillies!" Coronya giggled. "Like a friend, I love him."

"Geez... Can ya be any sappier, Coronya?" Cain gagged. "Any sickening sweeter and we'd all get diabetes." Coronya sighed and swung her rod in the air. A stone statue appeared over Cain and smashed him in the head. "AAAAARGH! That smarts a lot!"

* * *

At the other side of the forest, Monica was sitting and staring at the tree ahead of her. She was embarrassed over what happened, and even more embarrassed over how she reacted.

"Max said it was an accident..." Monica said quietly. "But I still got mad and hit Max... Why would I do that to him? I'm sure he didn't mean to do that... but... he must hate me for what I did to him..."

Monica got up and starting head back to where the others were. Not sure whether she could face Max right now.

* * *

"So time travel..." Blade started to say as he looked at the door Coronya made appear from the ground. "is possible after all..."

"Yeppers!" Coronya flew around the door. "This'll take us 100 years into the future. To the Selceta forest as it is there."

"They say Selceta Forest was turned into a huge battle site..." Monica explained. "Almost every army of the world fought a long, bloody war that is said to have no victor. All those armies were wiped out by each other."

"I'm sure I'll be sensing a lot of things there..." Cain said in a serious tone. "The lost souls of thousands of soldiers..."

"Cain?" Max looked at him.

"You wanna help those souls, but there are so many... and you don't know what to do. It..." Cain's arm started to shake. "Fills me with fear..."

"Grrrr..." Monica punched Cain hard in the face and knocked him against the door. "Keep your "fear" off my butt, Cain!"

Max and Blade sweat dropped "Moron..."

Coronya pushed Cain away from the door and grabbed the handle. "Ready everyone!"

Cain leapt back on his feet. "Ready!"

Blade looked determined. "Let's go..."

Max and Monica smiled at each other... but quickly dropped them and looked away shyly. "Uh... yeah!"

"Here...we...go!" Coronya swung the door open and the heroes all walked into the portal that would take them 100 years into the future...

* * *

Future Selceta Forest... now known as Death Plains...

The door appeared out of nowhere and opened. Max, Monica, Cain, Blade, and Coronya all emerged from it and looked around. The door closed shut and vanished.

A cold wind blew against Max's face. "Brrr... This feels awful... it smells like death around here...

Cain started to sweat as he looked around. He saw hundreds of thousands of bones shattered around. "I can hear them screaming... those souls..." Cain looked at Coronya... who could feel them too. "Coronya!"

Coronya shivered. "Oh... my... all those... people..." Tears were flowing from her blue eyes. In her mind, blood curling screams of anguish could be hear everywhere. "Make it stop! Please!"

"Coronya!" Max said in worry. He lifted his hat off his head. "It might not do much, but hide under my hat."

Coronya turned into a blue ball of light and floated into the hat. Max set it back on his head and looked around. He could hear her say, "T-Thank you, Max..."

Cain was sweating bullets staring into the plains covered in bones. In his eyes, thousands of warriors, soldiers, and knights were trying hard to slaughter each other. Blood and gore flew all around him as he watched. Even if the blood was to land on him, it wouldn't show.

He turned to the other's and spoke. "I've never seen so much death in one place. It makes me sick to my stomach." Cain took a step forward and carefully stepped over a pile bones.

"Will you be okay, Cain?" Monica touched his shoulder, but he removed her hand off it.

"He's... He's... here..." Cain looked ahead with a blank stare in his eyes.

"You sense something?" Blade quickly snapped his eyes towards what Cain was staring at it.

Up ahead, a man in shadow walked towards them, stepping and crushing any bone underneath him to pieces. He had dark, glowing yellow eyes and had a dark, creepy smile on his face. Max, Monica, and Blade prepared for what was coming, while Cain continued to blankly stare at him. Cain could sense death all over the man.

"Greetings and welcome!" The man walked out of the shadows, with an anime grin on. He had blond hair that was messy and uncontrolled. He wore a leather vest and metal leggings, with a white overcoat that was so long, it dragged against the ground as he walked. "I've been excepting you... yep!"

"I don't understand..." Max thought to himself. "He doesn't look that strong... but..." He looked over at Cain, who was sweating and gritting his teeth. "Cain looks freaked out by him... he must be powerful."

"I was worried that you'd be late..." The man said while picking up a skull from the ground. "But you're early! I guess that blood skeleton wasn't too much for you after all." With one tight grip, he crushed the skull in his hand to dust. "I'm glad though."

"Who are you?" Monica asked while readying on her sword.

"My name is Saro... Nice to meet you. What do you think of my modest home?" He gestured to all around him and the heroes. "It's a mess, I know... but looking at it brings joy to my heart. So much human death all at one moment. Nothing beats the sounds of screams as one's life is being ended. Better yet... the screams of thousands... all at the same time!" He laughed happily. "It's so beautiful!"

"Bastard!" Cain finally snapped out of his blank state. "You enjoy this!... Well I couldn't expect anything honorable from one of Griffon's servants. You make me sick!"

"Do I?" Saro grinned evilly. "Or is the sight of this valley that fills you with fear?"

"Fear?" Cain looked angry at Saro's words. "I'm not afraid of anything!"

"Oh come now... considering how spiritually aware you are, you should be witnessing death even as we speak." It was true. Cain could still see the bloody fighting behind Saro. "Even those with just a little bit of spiritual awareness would be shaking with fright at this... Am I right, Cain? And I'm not just one of Griffon's servants. I'm one of his best. His most trusted demons... I'm one of them."

"So you have one of the Talismans then!" Monica said with aggression in her voice.

Saro smiled and showed them the Talisman he had. Engraved on it was a cross. It was the Talisman of Rebirth. "Master Griffon was generous enough to give me this as well. It's funny really... this was the very 'treasure" all these armies were fighting for. So many deaths over a mere stone... that really is the meaning of living for humans... to die for their greed!" He laughed evilly while Max, Monica, and Blade looked disgusted and angry at his cold words. Cain's fear was replaced by hatred. In his mind, the day he battled Griffon and got a sword impaled in his stomach flashed over and over again.

"You..." Cain was finished with words. He rushed at Saro at full speed, ready to punch his lights out. "I'll &ing kill YOU!"

Saro just closed his eyes and smiled. "Stop."

Cain suddenly stopped and his body jerked back violently. "Gah!" His face was twisted in pain, eyes wide open and mouth agape. He was choking, as if he was being strangled. But no one was even touching him.

"Cain!" Max shouted and rushed to his side. He got a good look at his face. "Cain! Snap outta it!" He gritted his teeth and snapped at Saro. "What are you doing him?"

Saro just smiled darkly. "It's not my doing, but the doing of my servant."

"Ser...vant?" Max said, not understanding. Coronya peeked her head out from under his hat and looked at Cain.

She gasped and shouted. "He's being choked by a...by a..." In her eyes, Cain was being strangled by a pair of ghostly hands. "A GHOST!"

"Ghost!" Monica said and got a good look of the torture. "Of course! Cain and Coronya are the only two of us who can see the spirits of the dead!"

Cain struggled to grab the hands of his strangler. "Hands... off... ghost!" With a good grip and hard pulled, he got the hands off him and took in long, slow breaths. He keep a tight grip on the ghost hands, not letting them get away from him. He looked at Saro. "Damn you! You can't do your own dirty work!"

"I'm impressed...really I am." Saro said calmly. "Not many can escape from that. You must be very strong indeed. I'd be more impressed if you can escape...this." Saro closed his eyes again.

Cain held his fists up. "I'm ready for anything you got! Bring it on!" Suddenly, from out of the ground, a pair a skeletal hands grabbed Cain by the ankles. "Huh?"

"I can see them!" Blade shouted in surprise.

"Me too!" Max also shouted. "Cain!"

"ARGH!" Cain tried to break free, but the hands started to drag him down into the ground. "What? NO!"

"Don't be so scared..."Saro smiled evilly. "It's just early damnation for you! Rot under the earth for the rest of your days!"

"YOU... MAX! MONICA!" Cain yelled in agony as he was being pulled down faster. "KILL THIS BASTARD FOR ME! DON'T LET ME DIE IN VA... ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!" With those final screams, he was pulled completely underground, gone from the valley.

"CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIN!" Max shouted was frozen in fear.

"NO! CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIN!" Monica screamed for him with tears in her eyes.

Blade was in shock. He couldn't move, nor speak. He just stood there, eyes wide open.

Coronya looked at the ground with tears flowing from her eyes. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Saro's laughter rang all over the valley. "Bye-bye, Cain! Bye-bye, Cain! Bye-bye, Cain! Bye-bye, Cain! Bye-bye, Cain! BYE-BYE CAIN! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Max wiped the small tears from his eyes and turned towards Saro. Hatred burned inside him like a violent fire. The grip on his Grade Zero tightened, and his trigger finger was itching like it never itched before. "COWARD!" Max yelled in a tone that could scare a dragon. "You spineless bastard! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!" Cain rushed at Saro at full speed, eager to kill.

"No Max! STAY AWAY FROM HIM!" Blade shouted to warn him. Saro closed his eyes.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Max readied his weapons, ready to strike. "DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Suddenly, another 2 pairs of skeletal hands appeared from the ground and grabbed his leg and arms. "HUH?"

"You want to see your friend?" Saro asked Max. "Okay... suffer with him then!"

The hands didn't waste anytime and dragged Max down in less then a few second. "MONICAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

"MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX!" Monica ran to him and grabbed his hand. "I won't let them take you!"

Blade ran forward to assist them. "Just hold on, Max!" He suddenly got his with a invisible blow that knocked him down on his back. "Argh!" Just then, more hands wrapped around his limbs and pulled him down. "NOOOO!" He sunk faster and was gone in an instant.

"BLADE!" Monica watched in horror while still trying to pull Max up. She could feel the grip loosening. "Max! No! I won't lose you too!"

"Monica! I can't... I can't hold on anymore!" With that, his hand slid out of hers, and he was dragged down into the earth. Coronya had been under his hat at the time and screamed as she was pulled down. All of them, except for Monica, were gone.

Monica was standing there, the cold icy wind blew against her. "No...No..." She started crying and covered her eyes with her hands. "Max... Max..." She removed her hands and let the tears fall. "MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX!"

Saro turned away. "All gone... just you and me now... aren't you glad? I know I am..." He smiled more and more.

Monica couldn't stop crying. She wiped her tears, but more replaced them. "It's not fair... I can't lose... him..."

"I won't fight you in this state, my dear." Saro pulled out his Talisman. "The Talisman of Rebirth. I think I'll use it." The stone started to glow and and flash in Saro's cold hand.

The wind, started blowing more fiercely. Thunder could be heard at the night sky flashed. Rain poured all over the valley, making the lifeless dirt nice and wet. Suddenly, like a sickening field of flowers, hands and skulls started to sprout out of the ground and all around Monica. They dug and clawed there way out of the earth and stood on their two feet. Red skeletons, skeleton knights, samurai, archers, soldiers, and many other types surrounded the lone swords woman.

"Usually, I could only bring a limited number of the undead back to life before my powers were drained." Saro explained. "I'm a necromancer of course. This is want I do best. But with this..." He looked at his talisman. "I can bring hundreds back to life, and still have enough power to do it again. The reason why I do this for you... is because I want to see you torn to bloody pieces.

Monica had been crying for a while, until she stopped. She looked up at Saro with swollen, angry eyes. "Is that why... you did that to Max and the others? To get to me?" All at once, the skeletons rushed towards her to attack. "I can't... I won't..." She held her hands up, and magic energy started to form around them. "I WON'T BE DEFEATED!" A large bolt of lightning shot out of the heavens and into her hands.

"What!" For once, Saro was surprised. "What is this supposed to be!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Monica drove her hands down on the ground and released her magic and lightning. The impact left a large blast of magic the spread all around her. Her skeleton foes were all struck and reduced to particles of dust. The explosion left a smoke storm that caused Saro to cover his eyes and take cover under his arms.

"Damn!" Saro dropped his guard when the smoke cleared. "What the hell was that? Such power... and yet..." In the remains of the smoke, the shadowy figure of Monica was still standing. "She still lives..."

"Saro..." She grabbed her sword. It shone in the smoke and seemed like a ray of light. "You cannot be forgiven. For all those you killed... for Cain...Blade...Coronya...and...Max..." The smoke finally settled and she was staring right at him. Saro was gritting his teeth and staring back. "I will kill you."

/Monica has released a power she has never once before had. Now she stares at the demon known as Saro, and is ready to his life once and of all. Can she it alone? And what other tricks does Saro have planned for her/

"I can't go easy on her..." Saro thought to himself. "I will use all my strength..."

/Find out on the next exciting chapter.../

* * *

START TEASER: 

Cain: Blood, sweat, and tears will be shed in the next chapter!

Max: Ah! Cain! You're alive!

Cain: You bunch your ass I am! And I want revenge on that freak.

Blade: Wait a minute guys... this is supposed to be Monica's chapter. Should we really be interfering?

Cain: A fierce battle between the hottest princess of the future and the coldest bastard in the plains and we can't even watch!

Max: The zombies and skeletons will be keeping his company while we fight.

Blade: We could use an early start on them.

Cain: Hey, that's right! ATTACK!

All 3: YAAAAAAAAAAAAARH!

Coronya: Next Chapter!

Monica's Rage  
The Sun Sword's Power Revealed!

Cain: Take that you rotten corpse!

Coronya: Ewwwwww... is that his brains?

END TEASER:


End file.
